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Commander  \V.  S.  SCHLEY,  U.  S.  N.,  Commander  Greely  Relief  Expedition,  iS 


REPORT 


OF 


\\rIK"FIELD  S.  SCHLEY. 

COMMANDER,  U.  S.  NAVY, 


COMMANDING 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION 


OF 


18  8  4 


[UHIVBRSITY] 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT   PRINTING  OFFICE. 
1887. 


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THE  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
Navy-Yard  New  York,  September  4,  1884. 
Hon.  Wm.  E.  Chandler, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
Sir: 

In  obedience  to  your  order  of  February  18,  assigning  me  to  the 
command  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  of  1884,  as  indicated  in 
your  communication  of  that  date,  following: 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  February  18,  1884. 
Sir  :  Having  been  selected  for  the  command  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  of 
1884,  you  will  make  immediate  and  full  preparation  for  the  performance  of  your 
duties.  You  wi  1  investigate  the  circumstances  of  Lieutenant  Greely's  voyage  to 
Lady  Franklin  Sound,  in  1881,  and  of  the  attempts  to  relieve  him  in  1882  and  1883, 
incidentally  familiarizing  yourself  with  the  whole  subject  of  Arctic  exploring  and 
relief  expeditions.  You  will  examine  the  Thetis  and  Bear  and  all  other  ships 
which  maybe  designed  for  theexpedition,  and  co-operate  with  the  Chiefs  of  Bureaus 
in  strengthening  and  equipping  them ;  giving  particular  attention  to  all  the  special 
articles  of  outfit  necessary  in  Arctic  voyaging,  including  boats,  sledges,  dogs, 
houses,  provisions,  clothing,  navigation  instruments,  and  the  whole  material  of  the 
expedition. 

You  will  also  consider  and  assist  in  the  selection  of  the  subordinate  officers  and 
the  enlistment  of  the  crew,  and  on  all  points  above  indicated,  and  concerning  any 
steps  which  ought  to  be  taken  to  give  success  to  the  expedition  you  will  from  time 
to  time  make  to  the  Department  all  suggestions  and  recommendations  which  may 
occur  to  you  as  useful  or  important. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
Commander  Winfield  S   Schley, 

Washington. 

the  following  letters  were  addressed  to  the  several  Chiefs  of  Bureaus 
of  the  Navy  Department,  suggesting  the  complements  of  officers  and 
men,  and  articles  of  outfit  necessary  for  the  vessels  to  compose  the 
expeditionary  force : 

Washington,  D.C.,  February  \§,  1884. 
Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  will  be 
composed  of  three  vessels,  as  follows  : 
Thetis,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men). 

3 


4  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

Bear,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men,. 

Alert,  with  a  crew  of  40  people  (officers  and  men). 

Reaching  Greenland,  an  addition  to  each  vessel  of  25  dogs  and  a  dog  driver  will 
occur. 

On  board  the  Thetis  and  Bear  there  will  be  a  crew  of  28  enlisted  men,  with  rates, 
as  follows  :  4  petty  officers  (quartermasters  and  boatswain's  mates),  10  seamen,  1 
boiler-maker,  1  blacksmith,  1  carpenter's  mate,  3  firemen,  1  machinist,  1  ship's 
cook,  1  officers'  cook,  1  officers'  steward,  2  Esquimaux,  1  captain  of  hold  and  yeo- 
man, 1  ice  master. 

On  board  the  Alert  there  will  be  a  crew  of  33  enlisted  men.  The  same  ratings  will 
exist,  except  the  number  of  firemen  will  be  increased  to  6  and  seamen  to  12. 

These  men  should,  as  far  as  practicable,  be  homogeneous  in  nationality,  Swedes 
and  Norwegians  preferred,  after  Americans,  and  they  should  understand  in  ship- 
ping that  every  man  will  be  called  upon  for  any  and  every  duty  incident  to  the 
service. 

Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Gree'.y  Relief  Expedition. 

Commodore  Eakl  English, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  19,  1884. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  you  will  forward  to  New  York  by  the  first 
of  April  next,  for  use  on  board  the  three  ships  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition,  the 
following  articles,  viz,  thirty-six  Springfield  rifles,  eighteen  double-barreled  fowl- 
ing pieces,  of  the  simplest  breech  loading  mechanism,  and  of  the  type  best  suited 
for  the  expedition. 

For  each  ship  the  same  quantity  of  ammunition  as  furnished  the  Rodgers. 

Also  a  sufficient  quantity  of  five-pound  charges  of  gunpowder  and  gun-cotton,  to 
be  prepared  for  use  in  blasting. 


Very  respectfully, 


Commodore  Sicard, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Ordnance. 


W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  19,  1884. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  Greeley  Relief  Expedition  will  be 
composed  of  three  vessels,  as  follows  : 

Thetis,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men). 

Bear,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men). 

Alert,  with  a  crew  of  40  people  (officers  and  men). 

Reaching  Greenland,  an  addition  to  each  vessel  of  25  dogs  and  a  dog  driver  will 
occur. 

Will  you  please  make  out  an  allowance  of  provisions  for  1 15  men  for  a  period  of 
two  full  years. 

The  stores  for  each  ship  to  be  in  as  small  packages  as  possible  and  in  accordance 
with  the  list  suggested  by  Chief  Engineer  Melville. 

The  cloth  clothing  and  over-clothing  for  the  expedition  should  be  made  at  the  navy- 
yard,  New  York,  and  will  you  please  authorize  the  officer  in  charge  to  take  meas- 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  5 

ures  of  the  officers,  and  men  as  fast  as  enlisted,  and  fit  them  out  in  accordance  with 
a  list  to  be  supplied  later. 

The  skin  clothing,  either  of  reindeer  or  caribou,  should  be  obtained  at  once,  and 
the  clothing  begun  at  the  earliest  date;  if  possible,  everything  to  be  ready  by  April 
10  to  stow  on  board;  one  year's  clothing  to  be  baled  for  stowage. 
Seventy-five  pairs  of  Canadian  snow-shoes  will  be  required  for  the  expedition. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Paymaster-General  J.  A.  Smith, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Provisions  and  Clothing. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  19, 1884. 
Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  will  be 
composed  of  three  vessels,  as  follows : 

Tlietis,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men). 
Bear,  with  a  crew  of  35  people  (officers  and  men). 
Alert,  with  a  crew  of  40  people  (officers  and  men). 

Reaching  Greenland,  an  addition  to  each  vessel  of  25  dogs  and  a  dog  driver  will 
occur. 

Will  you  please  authorize  the  proper  persons  to  prepare  the  medical  outfit  for  the 
same,  to  be  securely  packed  for  delivery  at  the  navy-vard,  New  York,  ready  for 
stowing  on  hoard,  not  later  than  April  1,  1884. 
The  supplies  should  cover  a  period  of  at  least  three  years. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 
Commanding  Greely  Belief  Expedition. 
Surgeon  W.  K.  Van  Reypen, 

Acting  Chief  of  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  25,  1884. 
Sir  :  Please  furnish  for  each  of  the  three  ships  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition 
the  following  boats,  viz:  5  whale-boats,  fitted  with  bilge  keels  (24  and  28  feet);  9 
17  feet  ice  dories,  fitted  as  per  drawing  sent  you;  2  ice  toboggans,  fitted  as  per 
drawing  sent  you.  3  sledges,  for  traveling  over  ice  and  snow  (two  of  8  feet,  one 
of  12  feet,  fitted  with  reversible  runners). 

All  boats  to  be  fitted  with  oars  and  paddles;  thole-pins  to  be  of  wood,  with  a 
number  spare  for  each  boat. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  8.  N„ 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Chief  Naval  Constructor,  T.  D.  Wilson, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  25,  1884. 
SIR :  I  inclose  herewith  a  memorandum  of  .clothing  required  for  the  Greely  Re- 
lief Expedition,  referred  to  fan  my  letter  of  the  19th  instant. 


6  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

In  making  the  estimates  for  the  total  amount  of  each  article  required,  the  num- 
ber of  officers  may  be  placed  at  25,  and  the  number  of  enlisted  men  at  100. 
Very  respectfully. 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N. , 

Commanding  Qreely  Relief  Expedition. 
Paymaster-General  J.  A.  Smith, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Provisions  and  Clothing. 


Memorandum  of  clothing  required  for  Oreely  Relief  Expedition. 

FOR  EACH  ENLISTED  MAN. 

Undershirts  of  blue  flannel,  double,  lined  between  with  perforated  chamois  or 

buff 8 

Drawers  of  blue  flannel,  same  material 8 

Overshirts  of  blue  flannel,  double  throughout ;  two  shirts  to  have  regulation 

collars,  others  without 8 

Pantaloons,  heavy  blue  cloth,  cut  citizens*  fashion 8 

Monkey  jackets,  lined  with  blue  flannel 2 

Pairs  long  stockings,  with  strings  to  tie  above  the  knee  (woolen) 12 

Felt  caps,  to  haul  over  the  head  and  ears 2 

Pairs  lambskin  stockings,  the  length  of  ordinary  hose,  wool  inside 4 

Pairs  sealskin  boots,  with  hair  removed,  to  extend  above  the  knee 4 

Pairs  thick  woulen  mits,  with  thumb  and  forefinger 6 

Pairs  lined  sealskin  gauntlets,  with  thumb  and  forefinger 3 

Complete  suits  of  reindeer  clothing,  including  cap,  with  lapels  to  cover  back 

of  neck  and  face 2 

Reindeer-sleeping  bag,  to  be  8  feet  long,  with  flap  to  cover  the  head,  the  hair 
inside;  if  reindeer-skin  is  not  obtainable,  thebagstobe  made  of  calf-skin, 

with  the  hair  inside,  and  lined  with  California  blankets 1 

Guernsey  jacket 1 

Suit  of  oil  skins \ 

Pairs  of  glass-goggles 2 

Pairs  of  horse  hair  goggles 2 

Navy  caps,  regulation  pattern 2 

FOR  THE  OFFICERS. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  outfit  (except  the  cap  and  overshirt  with  regulation 
collar,  for  which  others  will  be  substituted)  there  will  be  required  for  each  : 

Regulation  overcoat,  of  heavy  blue  cloth 1 

Regulation  blouse  suits,  of  heavy  blue  cloth ;  (but  one  monkey  jacket  will  be 

required  for  each  officer) 2 

There  will  also  be  required  for  the  expedition : 

Heavy  woolen  mufflers,  one  half  to  be  baled 280 

Rubber  knapsacks,  for  carrying  gear,  &c 140 

Rubber  blankets,  for  sled  and  ice  work 20 

Pairs  leather  boots 140 

army  blankets,  one-third  to  be  baled 432 

W.  S,  SCHLEY,  Commander.  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  7 

List  of  provisions  furnislied  each  of  the  three  ships  of  the  Oreely  Relief  Expedition. 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Bread pounds. . 

Oat-meal  do 

Corn  starch do. . . . 

Flour do 

Corn-meal do 

Tapioca do 

Farina do 

Arrow-root do 

Macaroni do 

Vermicelli do 

Royal  baking  powder do 

Dry-cooked  sugar  cakes do 

Hominy do 

Samp do 

Barley do 

Rice do 

Buckwheat do 

Beans  (marrow) gallons. . 

Dried  Lima  beans do 

Dried  green  peas  do 

Dried  Shaker  corn do.-... 

Split  peas   do 

Carrots  (canned) pounds. . 

Potatoes  (fried) do 

Pemmican  (for  crew) do 

Pemmican  (for  dogs) do 

Pork,  salt do 

Breakfast  bacon do 

Pig's  jowl  and  feet,  scrapple do 

Beef,  salt do. . . . 

Dried  and  smoked  beef do 

Beef  tongues  (smoked) do 

Hams  (boiled) do 

(raw) do 

Roast  chicken do 

Roast  turkey do 

Roast  beef do 

Roast  mutton do 

Cove  oysters do 

Spiced  mackerel do 

Spiced  salmon do 

Head  cheese do 

Sausages do 

Sausage  meat do 

Cooked  corn-beef do 

Bologna  sausage do 

Spiced  beef do. . . 

Sardines boxes. 

Philadelphia  pepper  pot pounds  . 

Turtle  soup do 

Mock-turtle  soup do. . .' 

Ox-tail  souo do 

Mutton  broth do 

Beets  (canned) do 


33,201 

1,100 

144 

8,200 

1,170 

144 

144 

70 

300 

300 

204 

1,155 

550 

000 

300 

2,320 

1,125 

5871 

299 

300 

300 

300 

1,116 

4,080 

9,752 

7,332 

11,700 

7,050 

1,175 

9,400 

300 

1,175 

1,055 

3,000 

1,3041 

504 

4,704 

2,352 

966 

COO 

575 


288 
288 
150 
288 
288 
576 
288 
2  8 
288 
288 
408 


Articles. 


Cibil's  extract  beef pounds. 

Vegetable  soup do. . . 

Assorted  soup do... 

Olives kegs. 

Pickles do. . 

Vinegar gallons. 

Onions pounds. 

Lime  juice  (concentrated) do. . . 

Lime  juice  (for  ship's  use) do. . . 

Sauces dozens. 

Garlic pounds. 

Cabbage  (pickled) do. . . 

Sauerkraut do. . . 

Tomatoes do. . . 

Pre  ared  pumpkins do. . . 

Plum  pudding do. . . 

Mince  meat do. . . 

Evaporated  apples do. . . 

Apple  butter do. . . 

Peach  butter do. . . 

Candied  lemon  peel do. . . 

Tamarinds do... 

Figs do. . . 

Citron do. . . 

Dried  fruit  (assorted) do. . . 

Raisins boxes. 

Preserved  cranberries pounds. 

Jams  (assorted) do. . . 

Nuts  (assorted) do. . . 

But  er  (assorted) do. . . 

Sugar do. . . 

Coffee do. . . 

Tea do... 

Chocolate do. . . 

Cheese    do. . . 

Dessicated  eggs do. . . 

Sirup  gallons . 

Pepper,  black pounds. 

red do... 

Lard do. . . 

Condensed  milk dozen . 

Eggs,  boiled  and  scalded  with  lard, 

dozen 

Celery-seed pounds. 

Mustard do. . . 

Currie  powder do . . . 

Hops do. . . 

Spices do. . . 

Citric  acid  in  crystal do. . . 

Olive  oil dozen 

Dried  herbs pounds 

Salt do.. 

Flavoring  extracts — bottles 

Turnips  (canned) pounds 


Quantity. 


293 

288 

1,104 

8 

10 

576 

1,210 

240 

3,901 

10 

40 

285 

1,197 

2,352 

108 

570 

1, 152 

300 

588 

588 

30 

140 

575 

150 

1,070 

4 

570 

288 

1,121 

3.528 

10,284 

1,020 

3,048 

576 

l,736i 

96 

288 

74 

36 

2,040 

146 

048 
30 
72 
72 
20 
25 
20 
17 

144 

420 
30 

828 


8 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


The  foregoing  list  of  provisions  was  put  up  expressly  for  the  ex- 
pedition under  direction  of  the  Paymaster-General,  as  requested  in 
my  letter  of  February  19. 

The  pemmican  and  canned  goods  were  prepared  by  Kemp,  Day  & 
Co.,  of  New  York;  the  soups,  roast  beef,  and  pork  by  Libby,  Mc- 
Neill &  Co. ,  of  Chicago ;  all  were  inspected  by  the  medical  officers 
of  the  vessels  and,  subsequently,  during  their  use,  were  found  to  be 
of  most  excellent  quality,  and  were  well  and  substantially  put  up. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  25, 1884. 
Sir  :  Please  have  sails  made  for  five  whale  boats  and  two  dories,  for  each  of  the 
three  ships  of  Greely  Relief  Expedition ;  also  two  tents,  to  be  made  of  blue  denim. 
Sail  plans  and  dimensions  of  tents  will  be  furnished  at  navy-yard,  New  York. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N, 

Commanding  Greely  Belief  Expedition. 
Commodore  Earl  English, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Becruiting. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  28,  1884. 

Sir  :  I  would  respectfully  request  that  the  consul  at  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  be 
communicated  with  immediately  to  secure  twenty  Labrador  or  Newfoundland  dogs, 
with  their  harness,  for  each  of  the  Greely  relief  ships,  Thetis  and  Bdar. 

These  dogs  are  said  to  be  superior  to  the  Greenland  dogs  for  the  purposes  in  view. 

It  is  important  in  securing  these  dogs  to  include  in  each  pack  at  least  six  sluts. 

Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.S.  N., 

Commanding  G-reely  Belief  Expedition. 
Hon.  William  E.  Chandler, 

Secretary  of  tlie  Navy,  Navy  Department. 


Washington,  D.  C,  February  29, 1884. 
Sir  :  I  have  have  the  honor  to  request  the  following  outfit  of  articles  for  boats 
and  ships  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  : 


outfit. 


All  boats  to  be  fitted  with  stanchions,  stepped  in  composition  sockets  on  rail,  for 
weather  cloths  18  inches  deep. 

All  boathook  handles  to  be  of  hickory ;  all  paddles  to  be  fitted  with  ice-chisels 
on  upper  end  ;  each  boat  to  have  one  breaker. 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Cabin. 

Bureau,  with  writing-desk  on  top. . . 

Small  table 

Dining-table 

Lounge  (repaired) 

Wash-stand,  fitted  with  three  bowls 

Towel-rack 

Wash-stand  


Articles. 


Quantity. 


-- 


Cabin — Continued. 

Sideboard,  fitted  with  top  for  china 
and  glass-ware 

Men's  quarto*. 

Stationary  tables,  with  rack 

Mess-lockers 

Mess-breakers 

Scuttle-butt 


c/i 

r 

B 

o 


o 

v. 

- 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 


Articles. 

Quantity. 

Articles. 

Quantity. 

Mens'  quarters— Continued. 

2 
6 

20 
2 

20 
2 
1 

4 

1 
24 

12 
2 
2 
1 

12 
2 

2 

6 
4 

For  ship— Continued. 

100 

Spit-boxes 

6 

Small  square  hand-pump  for  each  boat. 

A  supply  of  felt  and  material  for  repair 
of  boats. 

Overhaul  all  blocks  and  fit  with  patent 
sheaves. 

Repair  pumps  and  pump  gear. 

Build  houses  for  galley  with  drying- 
room  for  clothes;  fit  one  bunk  on  each 
side  (drying-room  on  forward  side  of 
house). 

Boat-hooks  (hickory  staves),  hook  and 

1 

For  ship. 

Large  socket  chisels  and  gouges     

Ice-chisels,  8  inches  long  and  3  inches 

40 

Short  paddles,  upper  ends  fitted  with 

10 

10 

Staves,  8  feet  long,  fitted  with  black 

Rosin barrels. . 

2 

1 

1 

Complete  sets  of  carpenters',  ealkers  , 

6 

blacksmiths',  and  coopers'  tools 

Ice-chisels,  fitted  with  handles  10  feet 

Spare  blocks,  to  be  selected  hereafter, 
and  stores,  to  be  selected  by  carpen- 
ters' mates. 

Please  have  a  house  built  (after  drawing  furnished)  and  all  ready  for  putting  up 
on  arrival  north  ;  to  be  shipped  by  the  Alert  not  later  than  May  1 . 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  8.  N., 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Chief  Naval  Constructor  T.  D.  Wilson, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair. 


Washington,  D.  C,  March  1, 1884. 
Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  following  articles  and  outfit  are 
regarded  as  necessary  for  each  ship  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition,  and  would 
respectfully  request  that  orders  be  issued  for  their  preparation,  viz  : 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Chronometer 

Hack  chronometer 

Chronometer-box  

Deck  time-pieces 

Boat  compass,  for  each  boat 
Sensitive  pocket  compasses  .. 

Sextants  (superior) 

Night  octant 

Artificial  horizons   


Articles. 


Superior  large  binoculars  ( besi  that  can 
be  bought ) 

Mercurial  barometer 

Aneroid  barometers 

Thermometers  (ordinary) 

Thermometers  (low  temperature) 

Set  surveying  instruments  (for  "Alert" 
only) 

Chronometer  watches 


Quantity. 


10 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


Articles. 


Compasses  (Navy  liquid) 

Azimuth  compass 

Course  indicator  and  chart  board 

Pocket  sextants 

Superior  glasses  (best  that  can  be  bought) 
Superior  small  binoculars  (lightest  and 

highest  power  that  can  be  bo  ght) 

Thermometers  (water) 

Hydrometer 

Set  plotting  and  drawing  instruments 

(for  "Alert "  only) 


Quantity. 


Books. 

Nautical  Almanacs,  lf84  and  lt8 j  (two 
for  each  year) 

Bowditch's  Practical  Navigator 

Arctic  Azimuth  Tables 

Rosser's  Book  of  Stars 

Finding  Compass  Error 

Longitude  by  Chronometer,  Sunrise  and 
Sunset 

Binnacles  and  Swinging  Ship 

Instructions  for  Hydrographic  Survey- 
ors (for  "Alert"  only) 

Table  Mast-Head  Angles 

Regulations  for  Preventing  Collisions  at 
Sea 

Weather  Guide,  Barometer,  Thermome- 
ter, and  Hygrometer 

North  Atlantic  Sailing  Directions 

North  Atlantic  Light  List 

List  of  Foreign  Lights    

Set  Hydrographic  Office  and  British  Ad- 
miralty North  Atlantic  and  Arctic 
Charts 

Sailing  Directions,  Davis'  Straits,  Baf- 
fin's Bay,  and  Smith's  Sound 

Newfoundland  Pilot 

Bible 

Prayer  Book 

Navy  Regulations 

Articles  for  the  Government  of  the  Navy 

Webster's  Dictionary 

International  Signal  Code 

Meyer's  Army  Signal  Code 


Outfit. 

Navy-blue  lights    

Signal  discharger 

Box  Very's  signals 

Pistol  frog 

Set  side   and  mast-head  lights,  spare 

shades  for  each  light 

Steering  binnacle    

Standard  binnacle 

Log-lines 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Outfit— Continued. 

Taffrail,  registering,  patent  logs 

14-seeond  glasses 

9-pound  hand-leads 

50-pound  deep-sea  lead 

Coasting  line fathoms 

Arming pounds 

Hand-lanterns 

Dark-lantern 

Shades  

Lanipwicks gross 

Trimming-scissors 

Signal-rockets,  fitted 

Set  Army  signal  equipments 

Pistol  

Pouch  

Side-lanterns ; 

Spare  binnacle  lanterns     

Log  chips 

Log  reels 

28-second  glasses 

'  -pound  hand-leads 

25-pound  coasting-leads 

Hand-line fathoms. 

Deep-sea  line do. 

Deep-sea  reel 

Spare  globes 

Swinging-lamps 

Chimneys 

Lamp-feeders 

Trays  for  lamps 

Lamp-prickers 

No.  4  U.  S  ensign 

No  5  U  S.  ensign 

No.  6  U.  S.  ensign 

Sewing-needles papers. 

;  Thread pound . 

Lard  oil barrels. 

Hand-trumpets 

Log-books 

Receipt  and  expenditure  book,  4  pads  . 

Navigators'  memorandum  books 

Foolscap  paper ream . 

Letter  paper do. . . 

Official  envelopes   packages. 

Black  lead-pencils dozen . 

Flat  gutta-percha  ruler 

Order-books 

Press  copy  book 

Memorandum  pads 

Press  copying  ink pint. 

Bowl  and  brush 

Sets  checkers 

Packs  cards 

Dice-boxes  


2 
2 
1 
100 
5 
I 
1 
6 
15 
o 

20 
1 

1 
1 


100 

1:0 

i 

4 
8 

24 


1 
1 
3 
12 
3 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 


11 


Articles. 


Outfit— Continued. 

Spun  wick  pounds 

No.  4  pennants  

Union  jacks 

General  recall 

Cotton spools 

Coil  signal  halliard  stuff  

Candles  for  running-lights 

Fog-horns 

Navigation  ledger 

Blotting-paper sheets . 

Regulation  paper ream 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Outfit— Continued. 

Note  paper ream 

Note  envelopes packagt-s 

Elastic  loops gross 

Letter-books 

Journal 

Letter-file 

Ink  eraser 

Copying  press , 

Sets  chess  men 

Checker-boards 

Dice 


i 
4 
i 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
3 
12 


Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  V.  S.  K, 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Commodore  J.  G.  Walker, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Navigation. 


Washington,  D.  C,  March.  1, 1884. 
Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  the  following  articles,  under  cognizance  of 
your  Bureau,  may  be  placed  on  each  of  the  three  vessels  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expe- 
dition. 

Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Commodore  Earl  English, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting. 


Articles. 


Boatswain's  department 

Bower  anchors 

Kedges  (300  and  500  pounds) 

Bower  chains 

Stream  chains 

Chain  hooks 

Chain  punches 

Spare  shackles 

Grapnel  (10  pounds)  for  each  boat,  grap- 
nels to  be  fitted  with  rope  instead  of 
chain 

Steel  hawser,  3-inch 

Manila  hawser,  7-inch 

Axes 

Hickory  brooms 

Seizing-stuff,  assorted pounds . 

Spare  set  rigging-lanyards  for  all  sizes 
of  standing  rigging 

Spun  yarn  (3  yarn) pounds. 

Hack-saws 

Harpoons,  fitted 


Quantity 


1 

1 

1 

12 

20 

300 

1 

75 

2 


Articles. 


Boatswain's  department— Continued 

Sister-hooks,  assorted 

Fishing  lines .' 

Rigger's  screws 

Split  chain-links 

Marline-spikes 

^il-needles 

Mounted  palms 

Ferving-boards 

Sewing-flax pounds 

Tar barrels 

Sheet-anchor 

Ice-anchors 

Sheet-chain 

Spare  bending-shackle 

Cold-chisels 

Chain-pins 

Keys 

fcpare  grapnels  (10  pounds)  for  each 

vessel 

Manila  hawser,  10-inch 


Quantity. 


12 

100 

3 

6 

20 

50 

12 

4 

10 

2 

1 

2 

1 

1 

10 


12 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Boatswain's  department — Continued. 

Manila  hawsers,  5J-ineh 

Clamp- brushes 

Corn  brooms 

Manila  rope,  assorted fathoms 

Codline pounds. 

Marline pounds 

Houseline pounds. 

Hooks  and  thimbles,  assorted 

Fishing-hooks,  assorted 

Hammers 

Shoemaker's  knives 

Sides  rigging-leather 

Serving-mallets 

Neatsfoot  oil gallons 

Flat-mouthed  pincers set 

Twine pounds 

Thimbles 

Coal-tar barrels 

Carpenter's  department. 

Brad-awls 

Whitewash  brushes 

Stop-cock  for  starting  hose 

Handy-billy  pump 

Leading-hose feet 

Suction-hose sections 

Hose-pipes,  flexible 

Expander  

Hand  and  leg  irons 

Slaked  lime barrels 

Shovels 

Scrapers 

Squilgees 

Stoves,  for  quarters 

Alcohol  stoves 

Alcohol,  in  o-gallon  extra  tin  cans .  .galls 
Galley,  with  outfit  and  furniture  com 
plete. 

Dish-covers 

Scratch-awl 

Charcoal barrels 

Drying-stoves 

Fire-extinguishers  (with  charges  i 

Hose- washers 

Couplings 

Spanners 

Pump-leather sides 

Picks 

Spare  rungs  for  Jacob's  ladders 

Squilgees,  rubber 

Cooking-stove  for  house,  to  go  on  Alert 
Fire-wood  (as  can  be  stowed). 

Wheelbarrows 

Chamois-skins 

Sailmaker's  department. 

Flax  canvas,  Nos.  lto8 bolts. 

Clew-irons 


2 

12 

42 

500 

50 

75 

75 

24 

100 

4 

6 

2 

2 

2 

1 

10 

20 

2 

2 

6 

1 

1 

250 

4 

2 

1 

10 

2 

6 

20 

12 


100 


Articles. 


Sailmaker's  department— Continued. 
Water-bag  for  largest  boat  of  each  ship . 

Mattresses 

Woolen  table-covers 

Napkins dozen . 

Bed-spreads 

Raven's  duck bolts. . 

Cots 

Feather  pillows 

Linen  table-covers 

Towels dozen. . 

Sheets pairs. . 

Pillow  cases 

Crash  towels 

Feather  dusters 

Water  ewers 

Spittoons 

Soap  trays 

Set  curtains 

Easy  chair 

Canvas  yokes,  to  be  used  in  sledging 
A  tents,  10  feet  long,  with  ridgepoles 

and  stakes 

Tent  cover  for  each  whale  boat 

New  suit  of  sails  for  Thetis  and  Bear, 

boat  sails  to  be  sliding  gunter  rig  and 

to  be  made  of  dyed  cotton 

Complete  set  of  new  running  rigging. 

Coil  bohVrope 

Iron  commander 

Grains 

Old  junk pounds. . 

Sailmaker's  bench  and  complete  kit  of 

implements 

Pantry  towels 

Handbell 

Wash-stand  basins 

Slop  tubs 

Foot  tubs , 

Cabin  carpet 

Dining  chairs 

Mirrors 

Tar  brushes 

White  marline pounds. 

Hickory  heavers 

Plated,  china,  and  alaxs  irare. 

Waiters 

Sugar  bowls 

Cream  pitchers 

Caster 

Butter  dish 

Baking  dishes 

Vegetable  dishes 

Ice  pitchers 

Gravy  spoons 

Mustard  spoon 

Tea  spoons 


Quantity, 


2 
2 

16 

2 

2 

8 

8 

8 

48 

48 

24 

2 

4 

1 

4 

1 

1 

24 

2 

1 


1 
1 
1 
1 
8 
100 

1 

24 

1 
4 
4 
8 
1 
8 
2 
4 
20 
5 


1 
12 


a 

> 

5 

n 
M 

O 


G 
Z 

0 
PJ 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


13 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Plated,  china,  and  glass  ware— Cont'd. 

Sugar  spoons 

Dessert  forks 

Fish  slice  . . 

Crumb  scraper 

Nut  picks 

Baking  dish  linings 

Steels 

Gravy  boats  and  stands 

Compotiers 

Teacups  and  saucers 

Oval  dishes 

Dinner  plates 

Muffin  plates 

Pickle  dishes 

Sherry  glasses 

Jelly  glasses 

Salt  cellars 

Table  knives 

Dessert  knives 

Carving  forks 

Pickle  forks 

Teapot  (6  half  pints) 

Coffee  pot 

Soup  tureen 

Table  spoons 

Salt  spoons 

Dessert  spoons 

Egg  spoons 

Table  forks 

Sauce  ladle 

Butter  knives 

Nut  cracks 

Carving  knives    

Cheese  scoop 

Water  pitchers 

Salad  bowl 

Breakfast  cups  and  saucers 

Well  dish 


2 

1 

1 

1 
12 

4 

2 

2 

2 
12 

5 
12 

2 

2 
12 
12 

2 
IS 
12 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 
12 

2 
12 
12 

ts 

1 
2 

12 
4 
1 
2 
1 

12 
1 


Articles. 


Quantity. 


Plated,  china,  and  glass  ware— Cont'd. 

Breakfast  plates 

Soup  plates 

Bread  plates 

Decanters 

Tumblers 

Preserve  dishes 

Plated  candlesticks 

Stationery. 

Record  book 

Blank  books,  1-quire 

Black  ink pints . 

Letter  envelopes packages. 

Paper  fasteners boxes. . 

Inkstands  

Memorandum  pads 

Sheets  blotting  paper 

Sheets  drawing  paper 

Note  paper .' ream. 

Steel  pens gross. 

Black  lead  pencils dozen. 

Gutta  percha  ruler 

Box  water  colors 

Memorandum  tablets 

Blank  books,  3-quire 

Memorandum  books 

Official  envelopes packages. 

Elastic  loops boxes. 

Pieces  rubber 

Penknives 

Mucilage bottles . . 

Foolscap  paper reams 

Letter  paper reams 

Regulation  paper ream 

Pen  holders dozen 

R.  B.  pencils dozen 

Pieces  tape 

'  Vial  carmine 


12 
12 
2 


2 
12 


4 

4 

2 

8 

12 

24 

12 

i 

1 

3 

1 

1 

12 
8 

24 
6 
6 
3 
12 
2 
2 
2 
1 
2 
i 


Washington,  D.  C,  March  17,  1884. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  the  appended  list  of  stores,  pertaining  to  the 
Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair,  be  placed  on  board  each  ship  of  the  Greely  Re- 
lief Expedition. 

Should  occasion  require  a  change  in  the  list  in  any  manner  it  is  requested  that 
instructions  be  given  to  meet  such  an  emergency,  in  order  to  prevent  any  possible 
delay  in  fitting  out  the  vessels. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  V.  S.  N., 
Commanding  Creely  Relief  Expedition. 
Chief  Naval  Constructor  T.  D.  Wilson, 

Chief  of  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair. 


14 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


Articles. 


Adzes 

Broad-axes ...... 

Pinch-bars 

Stripping  bar 

Bung-borer 

Brace  and  set  of  bits  . . . 

Sash  brushes 

Varnish  brushes 

Squirt  can 

Chisel  slice 

Files,  assorted 

Gauge 

Grindstone 

Blacksmiths'  hammers. 

Sledge  hammer 

Set  calking  irons 

Set  soldering  irons 

Pitch  kettle 

Chalk  line 

Carpenter's  mallet 

Mops,  pitch 

Planes,  assorted 

Nail  punches 

Augers 

Wood  axes 

Shackle  bar 

Drift-bolts 

Tap-borer 

Paint  brushes 

Seam  brushes 

Paint  buckets 

Cold-chisels 

Tair  compasses 

Portable  forge 

Gimlets 

Claw-hammers 

Riveting  hammers 

Reef -hooks 

Set  horsing-irons 

Drawing-knife 

Pitch-ladle 

Calking  mallets 

Horsing  mallet 

Carpenters'  pencils 

Pincers 

Spike  punches 

Smiths'  punches 

Two-foot  rule 


Quantity 


.  paire . 


2 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 
45 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
6 
2 
8 
4 
1 
2 
1 
12 
2 
2 
5 
1 
1 
6 
2 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
3 
1 
6 
2 
2 


Articles. 


Screw-drivers 

Shears 

Oil-stone 

Set  smith's  tools 

Set  sounding  rods 

Single  blocks 

Wedges 

Sheet-brass poUnds 

Cbalk d0.. 

Fearnaught yard8 

Glue pounds 

Flat  bar-iron do. 

Round  iron do 

Lumber  for  ship  and  boat  repair 

Baled  oakum pounds. 

Iron  rivets Q0 

Solder do... 

Iron  spikes do. 

Iron  tacks do 

Copper  wire do. 

Black  paint do .. . 

Linseed  oil barrel. 

Rasps  

Saws,  assorted 

Spoke  shaves 

Steel  square 

Tape  measure 

Scuttle  butt 

Double  blocks,  assorted 

Sheaves  and  pins 

Borax pounds. 

Copper  burrs do. . . 

Copper  bolts do. . . 

Lights 

Gum  packing square  feet. . 

Square  bar-iron pounds. . 

Sheet-lead do 

Copper  nails do. 

Iron  nails do. . . 

Copper  rivets do. . . 

Brass  screws gross. 

Composition  spikes pounds. 

Copper  tacks do 

Brass  wire do. 

White  lead .' do 

Turpentine gallons. . 

Red  lead pounds. 


Quantity. 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

6 

10 

12 

3 

6 

4 

75 

75 


50 
20 
10 
25 
5 
10 
150 
1 
.  3 
8 
2 
1 
1 
1 

18 

24 

2 

6 

25 

20 

5 

50 

50 

40 

75 

2 

6 

25 

10 

15 

150 

50 

150 


The  Bear  arrived  at  New  York  February  15,  under  command  of 
Capt.  F.  Ash,  from  St.  John's,  Newfoundland. 

The  Thetis  arrived  at  the  same  place  from  Dundee,  Scotland, 
March  23,  under  command  of  Lieut.  L.  L.  Reamey,  U.  S.  N. 

The  Alert  arrived  April  22,  from  Spithead,  England,  under  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  Commander  C.  F.  Goodrich,  U.  S.  N. 


H 
X 


V. 

o 

a 

- 
> 


G 
Z 

B 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  15 

These  vessels  were  carefully  inspected,  as  they  arrived,  by  the 
several  Chiefs  of  Bureaus  and  by  myself.  The  Bear  and  Thetis,  be- 
ing steam  whalers  fitted  for  cruising  in  the  ice  off  the  coast  of  Lab- 
rador and  in  Melville  Bay,  were  staunch  vessels,  and,  with  perhaps 
one  exception,  were  the  best  vessels  of  thB  whaling  and  sealing  fleet. 
Their  experience  later  in  the  heavy  ice  of  Melville  Bay  and  Smith's 
Sound  proved  them  superior  to  any  of  the  vessels  of  their  class  for 
general  ice  work. 

After  their  inspection  on  arrival  it  was  determined,  with  your 
approval,  in  the  case  of  the  Thetis  and  Bear,  to  remodel  the  officers' 
quarters ;  to  build  quarters  for  their  crews  by  extending  the  top- 
gallant forecastle  abaft  on  the  spar  deck;  to  lay  extra  beams  be- 
tween those  of  the  lower  decks;  to  put  in  truss  beams  from  bilge  to 
middle  of  lowei"-deck  beams;  to  put  iron  straps  over  stem  secured 
with  through  bolts  to  forward  dead-wood;  to  construct  water-tight 
bulkheads  forward  and  abaft;  to  fill  in  space  between  keel  and  gar- 
board  strakes  with  sponsons  against  the  pressure  of  ice  forced  later- 
ally under  their  bottoms;  to  dock,  caulk  and  paint  the  ships;  to 
overhaul  engines  and  boilers,  repairing  all  piping,  shafting,  valves, 
&c. ;  to  place  in  the  fire-rooms  two  donkey-boilers  for  general  use 
during  winter;  to  overhaul  all  standing  rigging,  and  to  replace  all 
running  rigging  with  new  gear;  to  give  them  a  complete  suit  of  new 
sails;  to  equip  all  quarters  with  mattresses,  and  officers'  quarters  with 
table  and  bed  linen,  china,  glass,  and  plated  ware;  to  supply  a  com- 
plete outfit  of  arctic  clothing  and  provisions  for  officers  and  men, 
and  to  furnish  each  ship  with  a  Herreshoff  steam  cutter,  the  Alert 
with  White's .  steam  cutter.  The  exceptional  strength  and  recent 
refitting  of  the  Alert  in  England  rendered  no  change  necessary  in 
her  equipment  beyond  the  construction  of  berths  for  her  crew  on 
the  forward  part  of  her  berth  deck;  the  removal  of  some  unimpor- 
tant bulkheads  in  her  hold  to  afford  better  stowage  of  her  stores; 
to  repair  her  rigging  and  sails,  and  to  overhaul  her  engines  and 
their  dependencies. 

Experiment  indicated  that  with  the  use  of  anthracite  coal  in  the 
furnaces  of  these  vessels  there  would  be  a  loss  of  at  least  20  per  cent, 
of  their  speed;  therefore  it  was  determined  to  use  the  best  Welsh 
coal  in  order  to  avoid  this  loss.  The  use  of  bituminous  coal  carried 
with  it  a  danger  of  spontaneous  combustion,  and  to  reduce  this  to  a 
minimum  a  system  of  steam  jets  was  placed  in  the  holds  and  the 
bunkers  of  the  vessels  as  a  security  against  fire  from  this  cause. 

The  coal  transport  Ybarra  was  chartered,  and  brought  over  from 
Cardiff  2,000  tons  of  Welsh  coal  of  superior  quality  for  the  three  ships. 
To  supply  the  expeditionary  force  in  the  Arctic  regions  after  leaving 
St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  a  contract  was  entered  into  with  the 
agents  of  the  English  steamer  Loch  Garry,  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Co., 
of  New  York,  to  transport  500  tons  of  coal  in  bags  from  Cardiff, 


IQ  UREELY    RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

Wales,  to  Littleton  Island,  the  Government  assuming  all  respon- 
sibility for  the  vessel  after  leaving  St.  John's  until  her  return  to  New- 
York.  This  was  only  done  after  the  most  diligent  inquiry  to  find 
in  the  United  States  a  suitable  vessel  for  this  service. 

This  preparation  and  the  work  of  refitting  was  submitted  to  the 
several  Chiefs  of  Bureaus  of  the  Navy  Department,  and  to  their  sub- 
ordinate officers  at  the  New  York  navy-yard.  I  am  earnest  in  say- 
ing that  my  thanks  are  due  to  them  all  for  their  efficient  and  zealous 
co-operation  with  me  in  preparing  the  ships  to  sail  on  the  days  ap- 
pointed, as  shown  in  your  communication  of  March  10,  and  mine  in 
reply  of  March  17,  as  follows: 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  March  10,  1884. 
Sir:  It  having  been  settled  that  the  vessels  of  the  relief  expedition  will  be  the 
Thetis,  Bear,  and  Alert,  you  will  please  submit  a  plan  proposing  dates  for  their  de- 
parture from  the  United  States,  and  from  St.  John's. 

It  is  desirable  that  one  of  the  relief  ships  should  arrive  at  Upernavik  as  early  as 
any  vessel  can  safely  reach  that  point. 

Very  respectfully 

W.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
Commander  W.  S.  Schley,  U.  S.  N., 

Navy  Department. 


Washington,  D.  C. ,  March  17,  1884. 

Sir:  In  reply  to  your  letter  of  March  10,  informing  me  it  had  been  definitely  set- 
tled that  the  Thetis,  Bear,  and  Alert  were  .  o  be  the  vessels  of  the  expedition  to  re- 
lieve Lieutenant  Greely  and  party  at  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  I  would  respectfully 
suggest  that  the  Bear,  being  the  vessel  most  advanced  in  the  strengthening  needed 
for  this  service,  should  be  dispatched  from  New  York  on  the  25th  of  April  to  St. 
John's,  Newfoundland,  to  fill  up  with  coal,  to  take  dogs  on  board,  and  to  inquire 
into  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  Davis  Strait:  and  at  the  earliest  practicable  moment 
to  proceed  to  the  Danish  settlements  of  Disco  and  Upernavik,  reaching  there  about 
the  third  week  in  May,  if  practicable. 

The  Thetis  should  follow  the  Bear,  leaving  New  York  not  later  than  May  1 .  stop- 
ping at  St.  John's  for  coal,  to  take  dogs  on  board,  and  to  convoy  the  coal  steamer 
to  Upernavik,  where  she  ought  to  arrive  about  May  25. 

From  Upernavik  the  Thetis  and  Bear  should  pi-oceed  onward  with  convoy  to 
Cape  York  and  Littleton  Island.  Should  the  ice  appear  too  formidable  for  the  col- 
lier to  encounter  so  early  as  June,  she  should  remain  at  Upernavik  until  the  arrival 
of  the  Alert,  which  vessel  would  be  then  charged  with  the  convoy. 

The  importance  of  convoy  beyond  Upernavik  can  hardly  be  overestimated  in 
view  of  the  circumstances  that  the  Government  may  be  obliged  to  as  nine  all  re- 
sponsibility for  the  coal  vessel  and  cargo. 

The  Alert  should  be  dispatched  from  New  York  not  later  than  May  10  to  St 
John's,  to  fill  up  with  coal,  and  then  to  proceed  onward  to  Disco  and  Upernavik 
whjre  she  should  arrive  not  later  than  June  1. 

Her  movements  should  be  so  timed  that  she  might  reach  Littleton  Island  or 
Foulke  Fiord  about  the  1st  of  July,  in  order  to  have  sufficient  time  to  land  and 
build  house,  land  provisions,  coal,  and  other  supplies,  to  establish  the  station  upon 


I 

5 


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GREEDY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  17 

which  the  advance  ships'  companies  could  retreat  in  the  event  of  disaster,  and  after- 
ward to  send  a  sled  party  onward  to  examine  the  coast  on  the  eastern  side  of  Smith's 
Sound  as  far  as  Humboldt  Glacier. 

This  duty  completed  by  September  1,  and  the  Thetis  and  Bear  not  having  re- 
turned to  Littleton  Island  or  Foulke  Fiord,  the  Alert  should  return  to  St.  John's 
with  news  of  the  expedition. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  iV., 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Hon.  W.  E.  Chandler, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

In  the  preparation  of  quarters  for  men  and  officers  it  was  borne  in 
mind  that  increased  air  space  was  absolutely  required  to  maintain 
proper  sanitary  conditions. 

The  saloons  of  the  Thetis  and  the  Bear  were  therefore  entirely  re- 
modeled; all  original  bulkheads  were  removed,  except  one  to  separate 
the  commanding  officer's  room  from  the  main  saloon, 

Bunks  were  built  along  the  sides  of  the  saloon  fitted  with  drawers 
to  accommodate  the  clothing  of  officers;  and  to  afford  the  necessary 
privacy  in  sleeping,  dressing,  or  undressing,  curtains  were  arranged 
upon  movable  rods  working  through  the  top  of  the  berth  framing. 
These  rods  could  be  rigged  in  dtiring  the  day  to  increase  the  space 
in  the  saloon,  and  out  at  night,  or  while  officers  were  arranging 
their  toilets  or  preparing  for  sleep. 

In  the  men's  quarters  twenty -eight  bunks  were  built  in  pairs,  one 
over  the  other,  with  drawers  under  the  lower  bunk  for  clothing. 
These  quarters  were  separated  from  the  ships'  sides  by  an  alley  way 
to  afford  free  passage  to  the  forward  part  of  top-gallant  forecastle, 
to  work  chains  and  windlass  or  to  reach  the  forward  store-rooms. 

To  exclude  cold  and  frost  from  all  the  quarters,  the  sides  and  top 
between  the  ceilings  were  lined  with  felt.  The  advantage  of  this 
arrangement  was  apparent  after  we  had  reached  the  region  where 
hard  service  and  unusual  exposure  were  necessary.  The  suggestion 
was  Chief  Constructor  Wilson's. 

Dispensaries  of  the  Thetis  and  Bear  were  constructed,  under  the 
supervision  of  their  medical  officers,  in  the  run  abaft  the  saloon,  and, 
though  compact,  were  well  adapted  to  the  service  of  the  vessels. 

It  was  intended  to  use  the  boats  of  the  expedition  when  the  ships 
had  reached  the  highest  attainable  limit,  and  to  this  end  it  was  im- 
portant that  they  should  serve  three  purposes  :  first,  as  boats  in  cross- 
ing water  spaces;  second,  as  sleds  in  crossing  floes,  and  third,  as 
quarters  when  hauled  out  in  stormy  weather  or  for  rest. 

Their  construction  as  whale  boats  accomplished  the  first  condition ; 
their  bilge  runners,  after  Parry's  method,  secured  the  second,  and 
being  fitted  with  covers,  weather  cloths,  and  tent  stanchions  the 
third  condition  was  obtained. 

The  sleds  of  the  expedition  were  made  after  the  design  of  Chief 
H.  Mis.  157 2 


18 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION, 


Engineer  Melville,  U.  S.  N.,  with  reversible  runners  shod  with  iron; 
they  were  of  two  sizes,  16  and  8  feet,  and  were  intended  to  be  used 
for  carrying  the  boats,  if  necessary,  as  well  as  for  ordinary  sledging 
over  the  ice  ;  I  regarded  them  as  most  excellent  in  design  and  well 
calculated  for  the  work  in  the  heavier  ice  of  Smith's  Sound. 

The  ice  tools  and  implements  were  constructed  after  designs  which 
experience  has  shown  to  be  best  suited  to  the  service  for  which  they 
were  intended.  The  ice-augers,  designed  by  Lieut.  B.  A.  Fiske,  U. 
S.  N.,  supplied  by  the  Ordnance  Bureau,  were  especially  useful  and 
efficient. 

The  preparation  of  the  clothing  outfit  under  the  cognizance  of  the 
Bureau  of  Provisions  and  Clothing,  was  supervised  by  Pay  Inspector 
A.  J.  Clark  and  Paymaster  George  H.  Read,  at  the  New  York  navy- 
yard  ;  their  suggestions  touching  the  making  of  this  clothing  and 
the  special  packing  of  the  various  articles  of  this  outfit  to  exclude 
moisture  were  valuable,  and  I  am  pleased  to  say  everything  supplied 
was  found  eminently  satisfactory. 

Some  difficulty  was  experienced  in  procuring  reindeer  skins  for 
the  winter  clothing.  As  they  could  not  be  obtained  anywhere  in  the 
United  States  the  Paymaster-General  was  obliged  to  order  them  from 
Stockholm,  Sweden  ;  even  then  there  was  considerable  delay  in  get- 
ting them  into  Stockholm  from  the  country  villages  where  they  were 
exposed  for  sale.  The  arrival  of  the  skins  was  so  delayed  from  this 
cause  there  was  much  difficulty  to  find  a  firm  who  would  undertake 
to  make  them  up  in  time.  Ullman  &  Co.,  of  Mercer  street,  New 
York,  undertook  and  completed  the  work  satisfactorily,  however, 
in  a  remarkably  short  time. 

The  Bear  Avas  put  in  commission  March  17  and  the  Thetis  April 
2,  1884.  The  Alert  was  continued  in  commission  after  arrival  from 
England.  The  following  list  of  officers  and  men  were  detailed  for 
the  several  vessels,  viz : 

THETIS. 


Name. 

Rank,  &c. 

Name. 

Rank,  &c. 

W.  S.  Schley 

Commander,  commanding 

George  Harvey 

Boatswain's  mate. 

expedition. 

E.W.Walker 

Do. 

Joseph  Mitre 

JohnManin 

Captain  of  top. 

Captain  of  top,  acting 

E.  H.  Taunt 

Do. 

S.  C.  Lemly  

Do. 

quartermaster. 
Quartermaster. 

W.  I.  Chambers 

Ensign,  transferred  to  Loch 

John  Cross 

Garry  at  St.  John's. 

John  McLeod 

Do. 

C.  H.Harlow 

Ensign. 

Christian  Poison  . . . 

Carpenters  mate. 

G.  W.  Melville 

Chief  engineer 

Walter  Booth 

First-class  machinist. 

E.H.Green 

Passed  assistant  surgeon. 

James  Francis 

Do. 

James  W.  Norman . . 

Ice  master. 

Adam  Stitt 

Blacksmith. 

J.  W.  Powers 

Yeoman,  acting  captain  of 

W.  J.  Fisher 

First-class  fireman. 

hold  and  pay.  yeoman. 

William  Griffin 

Do. 

W.  A.  Coffin  

Ship's  cook,  acting   boat- 
swain's mate, 

H.B  Neale 

Do. 

F.F.Taylor 

Seaman. 

Lieutenant  W.  II.  EMORY,  U.  S.  N.,  Commander  of  the  Bear. 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 
Thetis — Continued. 


19 


Name. 

Rank,  &c. 

Name. 

Rank,  &c. 

P.W.Johnson 

Michael  Hickey 

Bartley  Cook 

F.F.  Baggeri- in 

John  McDonald 
George  E.  Yewell 
Thomas  Maloney  . . . 

Seaman. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
Seaman,  acting  ship's  cook. 

Carl  Wasden 

Charles  Tong  Sing. . 

Seaman,  acting  s.  m.  mate. 
Cabin  steward. 

C.  Xilson 

J.  B.  Larson 

Garry. 
Do. 

BEAR. 


W.  H.  Emory,  jr 

Lieutenant,  commanding. 

John  Johnson  (  )  . . . 

Seaman. 

F.  H.  Crosby   

Lieutenant. 

John  Johnson  (2)  . . . 

Do. 

J.  C.  Colwell 

Do. 

Jacob  Johnson 

Do. 

N.  R.  Usher 

Do. 

Albert  Jasen 

Do. 

L.K.Reynolds 

Ensign. 

D.  M.  Didrikse 

Do. 

John  Lowe 

Chief  engineer. 

H.  Krusberg 

Do. 

J.  J.  Campbell 

Do. 

F.  Ash   

John  Lindquist 

Do. 

John  Quevedo  

Arthur  Lloyd 

Ship's  cook. 
Cabin  steward. 

Do. 

GeTjrge.Savo 

Hugh  Brock 

Quartermaster. 

Otto  Schwarz 

Cabin  cook. 

Do. 

J  F  Burke 

Henry  Thomas 

Do. 

Do. 
Yeoman. 

Carpenter"s  mate. 
Seaman. 

T.  J.  Morton 

Arelii>'  Currie  

L.  ('.Smith 

J  B  Fletch  r 

Do 

James  Rogan 

Do. 

ALERT. 


George  W.  Coffin  — 

Commander,  commanding. 

Thomas  Wilson 

First  class  fireman. 

Charles  J.  Badger . . . 
H  J  Hunt 

Do 

Do. 
Ensign. 

Thomas  Bragger  . . 
Salvator  Tordagoer. 

C.S.McClain 

Quartermaster. 

A.  A.  Ackerman  

Do. 

Charles  Anderson  . . 

Captain  of  top. 

William  H.  Nauman 

Passed  assistant  engineer. 

Thos.Beswetheric. . . 

Yeoman. 

F  S  Nash 

Passed  assistant  surgeon. 

Christian  Guvken 

Seaman. 

D  L  Gifford 

Ice  master. 
Boatswain's  mate. 

Amund  Olsen 

J.  Lukshewitz 

Do. 

Joseph  Doyle 

Do. 

Philip  Shautz 

Quartermaster. 

Charles  Tristram . . 

Do. 

Albert  Jones 

Captain  of  top. 

Alexander  Watson  . 

Do. 

Edward  White 

Carpenter's  mate. 

I  lennan  Lara 

Do. 

Frank  Blokus  

Seaman. 

W.  Wettergren 

Cabin  steward. 

P.  C.  Hansen   

Do. 

William  J.  Powell. . . 

Machinist. 

William  Bloom 

Do. 

John  Wachter 

First-class  fireman. 

Adam  Weissel 

Ship's  cook. 

John  Sullivan 

Do. 

Olaf  Anderson 

Cabin  cook. 

T.  S.  Roberts 

Do. 

M.C.Boi 

Seaman. 

A.  H.  Kemble 

Blacksmith. 

J  F.Green. 

Machinist. 

First  class  fireman. 

William  Haas 

20  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

H.  B.  Neale,  fireman  of  the  Thetis,  and  C.  Baxter,  seaman  of  the 
Alert,  being  found  unsuited  for  the  service  were  transferred  at  St. 
John's  to  New  York,  and  their  places  filled  by  the  enlistment  of  Geo. 
Von  Sprecklson  and  John  Degen. 

Each  officer  and  man  of  the  expedition  willingly  undertook  the 
hardships  and  exposure  of  this  service,  and  felt  complimented  and 
honored  by  your  tender  of  the  opportunity  to  engage  in  it. 

The  officers  and  men  were  carefully  examined  by  a  medical  board 
at  the  Navy  Department,  at  naval  stations,  or  on  board  ship,-under 
instructions  of  the  Surgeon-General  setting  forth  the  physical  stand- 
ard necessary  for  service  in  the  Arctic. 

It  was  determined  from  the  beginning  to  compose  the  crews  of  the 
expeditionary  ships  exclusively  of  volunteers  from  the  able  seamen 
of  the  naval  service  and  of  mechanics  whose  trades  connected  them 
with  the  repairs  of  hulls,  engines,  or  boilers.  Some  delay  occurred 
in  getting  them  together  by  reason  of  the  necessary  absence  of  the 
vessels  of  the  North  Atlantic  Squadron  on  service  in  the  West  Indies. 
The  time  of  their  probable  return  north  being  too  late  to  make  vol- 
unteers from  their  crews  available  or  to  get  them  in  time  from  distant 
ports,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Powhatan,  Lieut.  Commander 
C.  J.  Train,  generously  gave  me  the  pick  of  his  crew.  The  enlisted 
men  of  the  expedition  were  taken  largely  from  that  vessel. 

As  soon  as  the  officers  had  reported  for  duty  a  detail  was  made  and 
instructions  given  them  to  inspect  all  articles  of  outfit  under  prepa- 
ration, and  to  report  to  me  daily  the  progress  made  in  the  several 
departments,  as  well  as  any  deficiencies  which  might  be  discovered 
in  the  submitted  lists  of  outfit  and  stores.  The  medical  officers  pre- 
pared the  medical  outfit  and  were  charged  with  the  inspection  of  all 
provisions  intended  for  the  expedition. 

In  this  way  it  was  easier  for  me  to  know  at  the  beginning  of  each 
day  all  that  was  going  on,  and  to  keep  up  with  the  preparation  of 
everything  needed.  Several  important  features  came  under  consid- 
eration in  this  way  and  were  added  to  our  lists.  At  the  same  time 
the  officers  were  familiarized  with  every  article  prepared  or  purchased 
for  the  fitting  of  their  vessels. 

The  supplies  and  outfits  were  well  under  way  by  the  first  week  in 
April,  those  for  the  Bear  being  most  advanced  in  order  to  start  her 
north  by  the  24th  of  April.  Feeling  confident  that  the  date  of  her 
departure  would  not  be  delayed  the  following  orders  were  given  her 
commanding  officer: 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis. 
Navy-Yard,  New  York,  April  16,  1884. 

Sir:  The  Bear  being  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  relief  expedition  to  Lady  Franklin 
Bay  of  1884,  as  soon  as  she  is  in  all  respects  ready  for  the  contemplated  search  you 
will  proceed  with  her  under  your  command  to  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  using  the 
utmost  dispatch  consistent  with  safety,  reporting,  by  telegraph  your  arrival,  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


o 
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II 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  21 

Your  stay  at  St.  John's  will  be  limited  to  the  time  actually  needed  to  fill  up  with 
coal,  to  receive  twenty  dogs,  with  their  harness,  to  receive  two  pairs  of  sealskin  boots 
and  one  Elsinore  cap  for  each  person  composing  your  ship's  company,  and  to  make 
inquiries  as  to  the  ice  conditions  to  the  northward. 

You  will  purchase,  in  addition,  four  ookgook  (large  seal) skins  to  be  used  for  soling 
boots.  The  foregoing  articles,  except  the  ookgook  skins,  have  been  ordered  through 
the  United  States  consul  at  St.  John's. 

After  all  supplies  have  been  obtained  you  will  proceed,  as  soon  as  practicable,  to 
God  haven,  Disco,  and  thence  to  Upernavik,  at  which  place  you  will  await  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Thetis,  except  in  the  contingencies  hereafter  mentioned. 

In  the  interval  you  will  call  upon  the  Danish  authorities,  whom  you  will  doubt- 
less ti  nd  ready  and  willing  to  render  you  any  assistance.  At  this  point  you  will  secure 
through  the  authorities  an  Esquimaux  interpreter  to  act  as  driver  for  the  dogs,  en- 
tering into  an  agreement  for  his  services,  paying  him  such  compensation  as  the 
authorities  may  deem  proper  and  just;  if  possible,  you  will  secure  a  similar  person 
for  the  Thetis  and  Alert  to  be  ready  on  their  arrival. 

Should  you  receive  information  before  my  arrival  that  Lieutenant  Greely's  party, 
or  any  of  them,  have  come  as  far  south  as  Littleton  Island,  you  are  to  seek  the 
earliest  occasion  when,  in  your  judgment,  it  will  be  safe  to  attempt  the  passage 
across  Melville  Bay  in  order  to  reach  him.  This  fact  you  will  report  to  me  in  a  com- 
munication, to  be  left  at  Disco  or  Upernavik,  or  at  both  places. 

Should  you  not  hear  at  Disco  or  Upernavik  of  Greely  or  his  party  having  reached 
Littleton  Island,  you  may  proceed  beyond  Upernavik,  if  any  special  circumstances 
justify  such  movement;  but,  you  will, under  no  circumstance,  advance  into  Smith's 
Sound  until  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  relief  expedition  shall  arrive  at  Littleton  Island, 
unless  some  unaccountable  delay  leads  you  to  believe  that  no  other  ship  will  arrive, 
in  which  case  you  will  use  your  best  judgment. 

In  case  of  your  advance  beyond  Upernavik,  it  is  expected  that  you  will  proceed, 
with  caution,  onward  to  Cape  York  or  beyond,  if  necessary  to  Littleton  Island;  but 
in  navigating  the  ice  through  Melville  Bay  I  would  suggest  the  importance  of  keep- 
ing in  with  the  land  ice,  as  the  safest  and  surest  means  of  working  north,  availing 
yourself  of  the  local  knowledge  of  your  ice  pilot,  as  far  as  it  may  be  useful;  your 
search  then  must  include  the  coast  and  islands  from  Cape  York  onward. 

If  it  should  be  necessary  to  proceed  onward  before  my  arrival,  you  will  leave 
■minute  information  for  my  guidance  in  following  you;  islands  or  headlands,  at 
which  cairns  are  to  be  established  with  records,  must  be  indicated  with  exactness, 
and  the  situation  described  accurately,  in  order  to  avoid  loss  of  time  in  searching 
for  them. 

If  the  information  received  should  lead  to  the  rescue  of  Lieutenant  Greely  and 
his  party,  you  will  take  them  on  board  and  return  to  Upernavik;  in  this  event  you 
will  leave  a  record  of  the  fact  at  Littleton  Island,  Cape  Parry,  and  at  Conical  Island> 
and  while  on  your  way  south  keep  a  bright  lookout  for  the  Thetis  and  Alert. 

From  the  moment  of  sailing  for  the  destination  indicated  you  will  constantly 
exercise  the  most  vigilant  watch  over  the  safe  navigation  of  your  vessel,  and  you 
will  institute  such  inspection  of  her,  day  and  night,  as  will  effectually  guard  against 
fire  or  other  casualty ;  when  in  the  vicinity  of  ice  you  will  at  all  times  be  on  the  alert 
to  avoid  damage  from  collision  with  bergs  or  floe  ice;  during  thick  or  foggy  weather 
you  will  regulate  the  speed  and  signals  in  accordance  with  the  maritime  regula- 
tions, and,  upon  all  occasions,  when  near  the  land  you  will  keep  the  lead  going. 

In  all  matters  of  navigation  much  must  be  left  to  your  judgment  to  secure  the 
safety  of  your  command,  but  you  must  always  keep  prominently  in  mind  that  the 
region  over  which  your  ship  is  to  pass,  after  reaching  the  latitude  of  Cape  Farewell' 
is  not  accurately  surveyed,  so  that  much  of  its  navigation  must  of  necessity  be  de- 
termined by  your  judgment  and  alertness. 


22  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

The  few  sailing  directions  published  by  the  Hydrographic  Office  are  commended 
to  your  attention,  and  whenever  your  service  may  permit  you  to  add  to  their  accu- 
racy or  extent  it  is  desired  that  this  be  done. 

The  exercise  of  your  ship's  company  will  be  limited  to  "fire  quarters"  and 
"abandoning  ship  ;"  both  will  be  frequent  and  exact ;  during  the  latter  men  will  be 
stationed  in  the  boats,  and  the  clothing,  provisions,  and  ammunition  to  be  provided 
by  each  one  is  to  be  accurately  described ,  and  the  officers  and  crew  are  to  be  in- 
structed in  carrying  them  to  the  boats,  where  stowed,  and  how  most  quickly  and 
easily  reached. 

The  rubber  knapsack  provided  is  to  be  kept  packed  with  a  complete  shift  of 
clothes  and  is  to  be  kept  hanging  in  the  quarters  of  men  and  officers  and  must  be 
worn  in  all  exercises  of  abandoning  ship. 

Reaching  the  ice  regions,  you  will  keep  on  deck  at  least  sixty  days'  supply  of  pro- 
visions, to  be  landed  on  the  ice  if  caught  in  the  pack  or  in  danger  of  a  nip. 

Money  will  be  supplied  you  at  New  York  to  defray  necessary  expenses  after  leav- 
ing ;  in  all  expenditures  of  it  you  will  cause  vouchers  in  triplicate  to  be  executed, 
forwarding  originals  and  duplicates  from  St.  John's  to  the  paymaster  of  the  receiv- 
ing ship  Colorado,  retaining  the  triplicates  on  board. 

You  will  husband  your  coal  and  stores  after  leaving  St.  John's,  and  remember  to 
be  careful  in  shifting  your  provisions  below  when  sufficient  coal  has  been  used  to 
affect  the  stability  of  the  ship  to  any  serious  extent. 

Direct  the  surgeon  of  your  vessel  to  take  charge  of  the  expenditure  and  account 
of  all  provisions  and  clothing  in  accordance  with  the  established  forms,  and  cause  a 
daily  bill  of  fare  to  be  prepared  for  officers'  and  men's  messes. 

Two  heliographs  will  be  supplied  your  vessel,  one  to  be  used  in  all  boat  or  sledge 
expeditions,  for  signaling  in  accordance  with  the  Army  signal  code  to  the  ship. 

Regulate  with  exactness  the  daily  amount  of  coal  to  be  used  by  the  engine  and 
by  the  stoves,  and  give  explicit  directions  to  the  chief  engineer  to  have  it  carefully 
weighed  from  the  outset  for  both  purposes,  holding  liim  to  a  strict  accountability 
for  any  violation  of  these  orders. 

Allow  no  waste  of  provisions,  stores,  clothing,  or  coal,  but  impress  upon  your 
officers  and  men  the  need  of  frugality  in  all  that  concerns  your  living  or  motive 
endurance. 

The  commercial  code  of  signals  will  be  used  instead  of  the  Navy  code  in  all  flag 
signals  between  the  ships,  and  to  this  end  you  will  familiarize  yourself  and  direct 
all  officers  to  do  the  same  with  their  use. 

Transmit  a  complete  muster-roll  of  your  crew,  before  sailing,  to  the  Bureau  of 
Equipment  and  Recruiting,  and  a  list  of  your  officers  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation  ; 
report  also  to  the  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting  from  St.  John's  any  changes 
in  your  crew  prior  to  leaving  that  port,  should  any  occur. 

For  your  information  I  would  state  that  the  party  of  Lieutenant  Greely  is  com- 
posed of  twenty -four  persons,  four  of  this  number  being  commissioned  officers,  the 
remainder  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates.  Before  leaving  New  York  and 
St.  John's  you  will  institute  a  strict  medical  examination  of  your  crew  and  any  men 
found  disqualified  will  be  returned  to  the  receiving  ship  Colorado  and  their  places 
supplied  by  transfer  or  enlistment. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Emouy 

Commanding  U.  S.  8.  Bear, 

Greely  Relief  Expedition. 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  23 

The  outfit  being  completed  and  received  on  board  by  the  morning 
of  April  24,  Lieutenant  Emory  sailed  with  the  Bear  at  3.30  p.  m.  of 
that  day  for  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  and  thence  for  the  coast  of 
Greenland. 

The  popular  demonstration  of  sympathy  with  the  object  of  this 
expedition  was  widespread  and  very  gratifying.  Thousands  of  our 
people  visited  the  navy-yard  to  see  the  vessel  off,  while  the  New 
York  and  Brooklyn  sides  of  the  East  River  were  crowded  with  per- 
sons wishing  her  Godspeed.  Steamers  saluted  with  whistle  blasts, 
while  all  hands  cheered  her  until  out  of  sight. 

On  her  way  outward  to  St.  John's  the  .Bear  met  unusually  severe 
gales  and  dense  fogs,  but  was  not  delayed  thereby,  as  her  commander 
and  his  officers  and  men  fully  understood  the  importance  of  every 
hour  which  bore  them  onward  toward  the  imperiled  party. 

She  reached  St.  John's  on  May  1,  seven  days  from  New  York,  and 
only  remained  sufficiently  long  to  effect  some  repairs,  made  necessary 
by  her  rough  passage  from  New  York,  and  to  take  on  board  coal  to 
replace  that  consumed;  to  procure  seal-skin  boots,  Elsinore  caps,  and 
Labrador  dogs  obtained  by  the  consul  and  awaiting  her  arrival. 

Sailing  May  4,  her  energetic  commanding  officer  pushed  onward  to 
Godhaven  through  gales,  ice  floes,  ice  fields,  and  fogs,  and  reached 
that  point  May  13.  At  St.  John's  he  learned  that  several  Dundee 
whalers  had  preceded  him,  and  also  at  Disco  that  these  same  vessels 
had  pushed  northward.  Lieutenant  Emory  sailed  immediately  north, 
but  found  the  ice  about  Hare  Island  absolutely  impenetrable  at  this 
season.  He  very  properly  returned  to  Godhaven  to  await  a  northerly 
gale  to  open  the  ice,  rather  than  risk  his  ship  on  the  edge  of  the  pack 
exposed  to  the  dangers  of  a  southerly  gale  in  such  position. 

Several  days  elapsed,  however,  before  a  gale  occurred  from  the 
proper  direction.  During  this  interval  of  delay  Lieutenant  Emory 
exercised  his  crew  in  abandoning  ship  on  the  ice-foot  at  the  mouth 
of  the  harbor.  Torpedoes  were  exploded  to  test  their  effect,  and  pro- 
visions were  got  up  and  stowed  abreast  of  boats. 

On  May  21  a  northerly  gale  set  in,  when  the  Bear  was  pushed  north 
into  the  formidable  ice-pack  south  of  Hare  Island,  in  the  Waigat 
Straits. 

He  was  delayed  by  formidable  ice  barriers  in  this  vicinity  for  a 
day  or  two,  but  continued  the  struggle  in  densely  packed  ice  of  great 
thickness,  rendered  much  more  dangerous  by  the  rapid  tidal  currents 
which  set  large  floes  in  motion  after  the  first  break-up. 

Holding  in.  with  the  land  and  following  all  leads  through  tortuous 
channels,  he  worked  in  under  the  coast  about  Noursoak,  on  the  north 
side  of  Waigat  Straits.  There  he  was  forced  to  await  patiently  until 
the  ice  should  move  or  break  from  the  Omenak  Fiord  in  the  direction 
of  Black  Cape  (called  Svarten  Huk  on  the  admiralty  charts). 


24  GREELY  RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

The  wished  for  change  came  finally  on  the  27th.  Immediately  it 
was  taken  advantage  of  and  the  Bear  reached  Upernavik  on  the 
afternoon  of  May  28,  having  first  gone  to  the  Brown  Islands,  some 
18  miles  farther  north,  where  the  ice  was  found  unbroken,  with  no 
prospect  of  advance,  owing  to  solid  barriers  in  all  directions. 

The  following  morning  the  Thetis  arrived  at  Upernavik  and  fell 
in  with  the  Bear.  The  history  of  the  movements  of  the  latter  vessel 
from  this  point  of  departure  will  be  embraced  in  that  of  the  Thetis, 
as  both  ships  were  always  together  until  their  arrival  at  Cape  York. 

The  outfit  and  stores  of  the  Thetis  having  been  completed  and 
stowed  on  board  by  the  morning  of  May  1,  she  sailed  at  2.30  p.  m.  of 
that  day  in  obedience  to  your  order,  as  follows : 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  April  21,  1884. 
Sir:  The  Thetis,  Bear,  and  Alert,  the  ships  of  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  of  1884, 
being  ready,  you  are  ordered  to  take  command  of  them  and  to  proceed  to  the  coast 
o''  Greenland,  or  farther  north,  if  necessary,  and,  if  possible,  to  find  and  rescue,  or 
ascertain  the  fate  of  Lieut.  A.  W.  Greely  and  his  comrades. 

All  the  officers  and  men  under  your  command  are  hereby  enjoined  to  perform  any 
duty  on  sea  or  land  to  which  you  may  order  them. 
No  detailed  instructions  will  be  given  you. 

Full  confidence  is  felt  tbat  you  have  both  the  capacity  and  courage,  guided  by 
discr.  tion,  necessary  to  do  all  that  can  be  required  of  you  by  the  Department  or  the 
nation  for  the  rescue  of  our  imperiled  countrymen. 
With  earnest  wishes  and  high  hopes  for  your  success  and  safe  return, 
I  am.  very  respectfully, 

WM.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
Commander  Winfield  S.  Schley,  U.  S.  N, 

Commanding  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 

The  repetition  of  the  popular  demonstration  of  sympathy  along 
our  route  to  sea  was  extremely  gratifying. 

The  salutes  of  cannon  from  the  navy-yard,  Governor's  Island,  and 
Fort  Hamilton  when  the  Thetis  passed  could  only  be  answered  by 
the  dipping  of  our  colors,  as  the  ship  carried  no  guns. 

The  officers  and  men  were  much  touched  by  the  evidence  of  your 
sympathy  and  interest  when  the  Tallapoosa  steamed  as  far  as  the 
lower  bay  with  us  to  say  the  last  good-bye,  and  to  see  the  last  of  the 
ship  and  her  officers  upon  whom  you  had  conferred  such  responsi- 
bility and  honor. 

Reaching  the  Sandy  Hook  light- ship  the  vessel  was  swung  to 
determine  deviation  of  her  compasses,  after  which  she  continued  on 
to  sea  and  reached  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  at  3.35  a.  m.,  May  9, 
after  a  most  delightful  passage  of  eight  days,  without  other  incidents 
than  a  slight  break  down  of  the  connecting  rod  of  the  air-pump, 
which  was  promptly  repaired  in  a  few  hours  by  Chief  Engineer  Mel- 
ville. 


G 

1 

O 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  25 

A  painful  though  not  serious  injury  to  the  hand  of  Machinist 
Walter  Booth  also  occurred  during  this  passage.  While  oiling  the 
engine  Booth's  hand  was  caught  in  the  machinery  and  his  fingers 
crushed. 

My  stay  at  St.  John's  was  limited  to  two  days  and  a  half,  during 
which  time  seal-skin  boots,  Elsinore  caps  for  the  crew,  and  coal  to 
replace  that  consumed  during  the  passage  were  taken  on  board;  also 
twenty -two  Labrador  dogs  for  service  with  sleds  north.  These  dogs 
were  also  obtained  by  United  States  Consul  Molloy  from  Labrador. 

In  the  interval  I  availed  myself  of  an  opportunity  to  call  upon  the 
civil  and  military  authorities  of  the  port. 

The  Loch  Garry,  a  chartered  coal  steamer,  with  500  tons  of  Welsh 
coal",  commanded  by  Capt.  Robert  Jones,  reported  to  me  as  a  fourth 
vessel  of  the  expedition. 

The  charter  under  which  he  served  reads  as  follows: 

This  Charter  Party,  made  and  concluded  upon  in  the  city  of  New  York,  the  29th 
day  of  March,  1884,  between  Sutton  &  Co. ,  agents  for  owners  of  the  good  iron  s  rew 
steamship  Loch  Quarry,  of  Dundee,  of  950  tons  gross  register,  and  616  tons  net  reg- 
ister; having  engines  of  98  horse-power,  and  classed  A  1  (built  in  1880)  at  Lloyds, 
of  1.200  tons  dead  weight  or  thereabouts,  inclusive  of  fuel  and  stores,  now  in  Europe, 
and  Commodore  Earl  English,  Chief  of  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting,  United 
States  Navy  Department,  by  authority  of  the  Secretaries  of  War  and  the  Navy, 
charterers: 

Witnesseth,  that  tli£  said  agents  agree  to  let,  and  the  said  charterers  agree  to 
hire  the  said  steamship  for  the  term  of  three  calendar  months,  from  the  5th  day  of 
April,  she  being  then  (after  docking  and  cleaning  bottom.)  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  charterers,  at  Cardiff,  in  such  dock  or  at  such  wharf  or  place  (where  she  may 
always  safely  lie  afloat,  at  all  times  of  tide)  as  charterers  may  direct,  she  being 
then  ready  to  receive  cargo,  and  being  tight,  staunch,  strong,  and  every  way  fitted 
for  the  service  (and  with  full  complement  of  officers,  seamen,  engineers,  and  fire- 
men for  a  vessel  of  her  tonnage),  to  be  employed  in  carrying  500  tons  of  coal  in 
bags  (and  passengers,  so  far  as  accommodation  permit)  within  the  following  limits, 
viz  :  Cardiff,  Wales,  to  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  for  orders  to  proceed  from  thence 
as  ordered  by  the  Greely  Relief  Expedition  ;  the  United  States  Government  assum- 
ing all  risks  of  vessel  and  cargo  as  soon  as  the  steamer  reports  at  St.  Johns.  Value 
of  vessel,  £15,000,  equal  to  $75,000,  on  the  following  conditions  : 

That  the  owners  shall  provide  and  pay  for  all  provisions,  wages,  and  consular 
shipping  and  discharging  fees  of  the  captain,  officers,  engineers,  firemen,  and  crew  ; 
shall  pay  all  engine  room  stores,  and  maintain  her  in  a  thoroughly  efficient  state  m 
hull  and  machinery  for  and  during  the  service. 

That  the  agents  shall  accept  and  pay  for  all  coal  in  the  steamer's  bunkers,  and 
the  owners  shall,  on  expiration  of  this  Charter  Party,  pay  for  all  coal  left  in  the 
bunkers,  at  the  current  market  prices  at  the  respective  ports  when  she  is  delivered 
to  them. ' 

That  the  charterers  shall  pay  for  the  use  and  hire  of  the  said  vessel  at  the  rate  of 
$7.54  per  gross  register  ton  per  calendar  month,  commencing  on  and  from  the  day 
of  her  delivery,  as  aforesaid,  hire  to  continue  until  her  delivery  in  like  good  order 
and  condition  to  the  owners,  fair  wear  and  tear  only  excepted  (unless  lost),  at  Hal- 
ifax. 

It  is  understood  and  agreed  that  the  steamer  is  to  be  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland, 
before  the  10th  day  of  May  next,  dangers  of  seas  excepted. 


26  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

Payment  of  the  said  hire  to  be  made  in  cash  at  New  York,  monthly,  in  advance. 

That  the  cargo  or  cargoes  may  be  laden  or  discharged  in  any  dock,  or  at  any 
wharf  or  place  that  the  charterers  or  their  agents  may  direct,  provided  the  steamer 
can  always  safely  lie  afloat  at  any  time  of  tide. 

That  the  whole  reach  of  the  vessel's  holds,  decks,  and  usual  places  of  loading, 
and  accommodation  of  the  ship  (not  being  more  than  she  can  reasonably  stow  or 
carry)  shall  be  at  the  charterers'  disposal,  reserving  only  proper  and  sufficient  space 
for  ship's  officers,  crew,  tackle,  apparel,  furniture,  provisions,  stores,  and  fuel. 

That  the  captain  shall  prosecute  his  voyage  with  the  utmost  dispatch,  and  shall 
render  all  customary  assistance  with  sliip's  crew  and  boats. 

That  the  captain  (although  appointed  by  the  owners)  shall  be  under  the  orders 
and  directions  of  the  charterers  as  regards  employment,  agency,  or  other  arrange- 
ments, and  the  charterers  hereby  agree  to  indemnify  the  owners  from  all  conse- 
quences or  liabilities  that  may  arise  from  the  captain  signing  bills  of  lading,  or  in 
otherwise  complying  with  the  same. 

That  if  the  charterers  shall  have  reason  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  conduct  of  the 
captain,  officers,  or  engineers,  the  owners  shall,  on  receiving  particulars  of  the  com- 
plaint, investigate  the  same,  and  if  necessary  make  a  change  in  the  appointments. 

That  the  charterers  shall  have  permission  to  appoint  a  supercargo,  who  shall  ac- 
company the  steamer  and  see  that  the  voyages  are  prosecuted  with  the  utmost  dis- 
patch. 

That  the  master  shall  be  furnished  from  time  to  time  with  all  requisite  instruc- 
tions and  sailing  directions,  and  shall  keep  a  full  and  correct  log  of  the  voyage  or 
voyages,  which  are  to  be  patent  to  the  charterers  or  their  agents. 

That  the  charterers  shall  have  the  option  of  continuing  the  charter  on  the  same 
terms  for  a  further  period  of  three  months  monthly,  on  giving  due  and  sufficient 
notice  thereof  to  the  agents  previous  to  the  expiration  of  the  first-named  term. 

That  previous  to  arrival  at  St.  John's,  in  the  event  of  loss  of  time  from  deficiency 
of  men  or  stores,  breakdown  of  machinery,  or  damage  preventing  the  working  of 
the  vessel  for  more  than  forty -eight  working  hours,  the  payment  of  hire  shall  cease 
until  she  be  again  in  an  efficient  state  to  resume  her  service  ;  but  should  the  vessel 
be  driven  in  port  or  to  anchorage  by  stress  of  weather,  or  from  any  accident  to  the 
cargo,  such  detention  or  loss  of  time  s-hall  be  at  the  charterers'  risk  and  expense. 

That  should  the  vessel  be  lost  after  the  ex  iration  of  the  first  three  months,  freight 
paid  in  advance  and  not  earned  (reckoning  from  the  date  of  her  loss),  shall  be 
returned  to  the  charterers.  The  act  of  God,  the  Queen's  enemies,  fire,  restraints  of 
princes,  rulers,  and  people,  and  all  other  dangers  and  accidents  of  the  sea,  rivers, 
machinery,  boilers,  and  steam  navigation  throughout  this  Charter  Party  always 
mutually  excepted. 

That  should  any  dispute  arise  between  the  owners  and  the  charterers,  the  matter 
in  dispute  shall  be  referred  to  three  persons  at  New  York,  one  to  be  appointed  by 
each  of  the  parties  hereto,  and  the  third  by  the  two  so  chosen,  their  decision,  or 
that  of  any  two  of  them,  shall  be  final,  and  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  any  award 
this  agreement  may  be  made  a  rule  of  court. 

That  the  owners  shall  have  a  lien  upon  all  cargoes  and  all  subfreights  for  any 
amounts  due  un  ler  this  charter ;  and  the  charterers  to  have  a  lien  on  the  ship  for 
all  moneys  paid  in  advance  and  not  earned. 

All  derelicts  and  salvage  shall  be  for  owners'  and  charterers'  equal  benefit.  Pen- 
alty for  non-performance  of  this  contract,  estimated  amount  of  damages. 

Signed  in  the  presence  of  James  Patterson,  as  to  Sutton  &  Co. 

SUTTON  &  CO. 

Signed  in  the  presence  of  S.  Henriques,  as  to  Earl  English. 

EARL  ENGLISH, 
Chief  of  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting. 


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GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  27 

Ensign  W.  I.  Chambers,  with  two  seamen,  Carl  Nilson  and  Jno. 
B.  Larson,  were  detailed  for  duty  on  board  the  Loch  Garry,  under 
the  following  order  to  Mr.  Chambers  : 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
St.  John's,  N.  F,  May  10,  1884. 

Sir  :  You  are  hereby  detailed  for  duty  on  board  the  coal  steamer  Loch  Garry, 
containing  500  tons  of  coal  to  be  delivered  at  Littleton  Island,  for  use  of  the  Greely 
Relief  Expedition  ;  seamen  John  B.  Larson  and  Carl  Nilson  are  detailed  to  ius.si.st 
you  in  this  duty. 

Your  immediate  duties  will  be  to  represent  the  Government  and  to  protect  its 
interests  in  its  responsibility  for  the  ship  and  cargo  from  the  time  of  her  sailing 
until  her  return  to  St.  John's. 

You  will  keep  watch  and  require  the  two  seamen  accompanying  you  to  do  the 
same,  in  order  that  the  Government  interest  may  be  represented  on  deck  tlu-ough- 
out  the  voyage. 

You  will  verify  the  master *s  position  as  determined  each  day,  and  you  will  keep 
a  journal  in  which  all  needed  information  will  be  recorded,  hi  case  of  disaster. 

All  signals  in  clear  weather  will  be  by  Meyer's  code,  during  foggy  weather  by 
whistle  blasts  after  the  same  system. 

Speed  signals  during  the  day  will  be  by  senior  officer's  penant ;  if  not  hoisted, 
full  speed  will  be  indicated  :  if  half  way  up,  half  speed  ;  and  if  at  masthead,  stopped. 

During  foggy  weather  one  blast  of  the  steam  whistle  will  indicate  slow  ;  two 
blasts,  stopped ;  three  blasts,  backing ;  and  four  blasts,  ahead  full  speed  ;  one,  fol- 
lowed by  two  blasts,  port  helm ;  two,  followed  by  one  blast,  starboard  helm  ;  several 
quick  blasts  indicates  "attention." 

The  Thetis  will  convoy  the  Loch  Garry  outward,  and  you  will  maintain  a  position 
of  about  three  cable  lengths  on  her  starboard  quarter  when  practicable ;  under  no 
circumstances  will  you  follow  in  her  wake  when  it  can  be  avoided,  except  when 
specially  directed. 

Further  orders  will  be  given  you  for  your  return  voyage  to  St.  John's.  In  case  of 
separation  you  will  join  me  at  Disco.  These  instructions  may  be  changed  by  signal 
as  occasion  may  require. 

Very  respectfully,  W.  S.  SCHLEY.  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 

Ensign  W.  I.  Chambers,  U.  S.  N. 

The  following  instructions  were  given  to  Captain  Jones : 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
St.  John's,  N.  F.  May  10,  1884. 

Sir  :  I  have  respectfully  to  inform  you  that  Ensign  Washington  I.  Chambers, 
U.  S.  N. ,  has  been  detailed  to  act  as  supercargo  of  the  steamer  Loch  Garry  and  to 
accompany  you  to  Littleton  Island. 

This  officer  will  represent  the  Government  and  will  act  under  my  immediate 
orders  so  long  as  in  company,  after  which  his  directions  regarding  the  movements 
of  your  vessel  will  be  observed  as  provided  by  the  terms  of  the  charter  party.  His 
instructions  regarding  the  position  to  be  maintained  by  your  vessel  and  speed  signals 
while  under  convoy  will  be  observed  as  far  as  practicable. 

Two  naval  seamen  have  been  detailed  to  accompany  Ensign  Cliambers,  and  you 
are  requested  to  provide  them  with  the  necessary  berthing  accommodations  and 


28  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

rations  ;  compensation  for  the  latter  to  be  adjusted  and  settled  by  the  United  States 
consul  at  St.  John's  upon  return  to  that  port. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  K, 
Commanding  Grecly  Relief  Expedition. 
Capt.  Robert  Jones, 

Steamer  Loeh  Garry. 

These  preliminaries  arranged,  and  all  articles  on  board,  the  Thetis 
sailed  at  0  a.  m.,  May  12,  for  Godhaven,  with  the  Loch  Garry  under 
convoy.  A  strong  breeze  sprang  up  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  sailing 
from  St.  John's  with  dense  fog,  which  greatly  increased  the  difficul- 
ties of  navigation  in  this  region,  where  large  icebergs  were  numerous 
and  often  passed  at  close  quarters.  Reaching  the  latitude  of  Cape 
Farewell  the  Thetis  fell  in  with  the  first  field  ice,  but  little  difficulty 
was  experienced  in  working  through  it.  Open  water  was  held  from 
this  point  up  to  the  south  side  of  Disco  Bay,  where  we  encountered  a 
large  number  of  heavy  icebergs,  but  separated  sufficiently  to  permit 
passage  through  them. 

May  21  the  ship  crossed  the  Arctic  circle,  and  from  that  point  had 
continuous  daylight,  which  greatly  facilitated  our  work. 

Passing  through  many  dangerous  obstructions  of  ice  and  icebergs 
onward  to  Godhaven,  the  entrance  to  this  harbor  was  found  ob- 
structed by  heavy  floe  ice.  No  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in 
breaking  a  passage  for  the  Loch  Garry  into  the  harbor,  where  both 
ships  arrived  and  moored  to  the  land  ice  at  8  a.  m.,  May  22. 

A  strong  southerly  breeze  the  following  day  packed  the  small 
harbor  so  full  of  ice  that  the  Thetis  and  Loch  Garry  were  detained 
for  thirty-six  hours. 

David  Danielson,  Eskimo,  was  engaged  at  Disco  as  dog  driver  of  the 
Thetis.  Lieutenant  Emory's  letter  of  advice  informed  me  that  he 
had  employed  Hans  Hansen  in  same  capacity  for  the  Bear.  Their 
pay  was  fixed  at  $30  per  month. 

During  the  delay  at  Godhaven  I  called  upon  Hon.  A.  Anderson, 
inspector  of  North  Greenland  and  the  governor  of  the  district.  Dur- 
ing this  visit  the  inspector  informed  me  that  he  had  purchased  thirty 
dogs,  ordered  by  Lieut.  E.  A.  Garlington  last  year  in  accordance  with 
the  following  communication  from  that  officer,  and  that  they  were 
ready  for  delivery  to  the  ships  : 

United  States  Relief  Expedition, 
Upernavik,  North  Greenland,  September  2,  1883. 
Sir  ;  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  you  will  provide  for  the  use  of  the  pros- 
pective expedition  of  next  year  from  the  United  States  the  following  articles  : 

Thirty  dogs  and  sixty  sets  dog  harness  ;  as  many,  not  to  exceed  twenty,  dog-skin 
sleeping-bags,  as  can  be  procured. 

I  am  sorry  that  the  Yantie  cannot  call  at  Disco,  that  I  might  arrange  these  matters 
with  you. 


K 
M 

H 


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GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  29 

Nicholai  remains  here,  and  I  have  paid  his  and  David's  wages  to  the  governor  of 
the  district. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  A.  GARLINGTON, 
First  Lieutenant,  Second  Cavalry,  Commanding. 
Hon.  A.  Anderson, 

Inspector,  North  Greenland. 

Although  the  Thetis  and  Bear  were  supplied  with  dogs,  it  appeared 
to  me  that  the  inspector  had  only  acted  in  good  faith  in  purchasing 
these  animals  from  the  natives,  and  under  the  circumstances  I  felt 
obliged  to  direct  Commander  Coffin  of  the  Alert  to  take  them  for  his 
vessel  to  avoid  controversy. 

Lieutenant  Emory  left  me  a  list  of  the  Dundee  whaling  fleet  in  the 
waters  of  Greenland,  with  the  names  of  those  ahead  of  my  ship.  His 
letter  gave  me  a  good  idea  of  the  ice  conditions  about  the  Waigat 
Straits  aud  in  Melville  Bay. 

At  9  a.  m.,  May  24th,  the  Thetis  and  Loch  Garry  sailed  forUper- 
navik.  At  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  a  belt  of  ice  extending  about  3 
miles  off-shore  obstructed  the  passage  of  the  two  ships,  obliging  the 
Thetis  to  ram  her  way  through  the  ice.  Clearing  this  ice,  open  water 
was  carried  to  the  vicinity  of  the  North  Fiord,  some  26  miles  south 
of  the  Waigat  Straits,  where  both  ships  came  up  to  a  solid  ice  barrier 
extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  to  the  north  and  west.  The 
pressed  up,  hummocky  appearance  of  this  ice  enabled  us  to  recognize 
it  as  the  polar  pack  of  the  last  season.  The  Thetis  was  pushed  some 
fifty  yards  into  this  pack  to  lie  during  the  night.  The  Loch  Garry 
maintained  a  position  to  the  southward  of  its  edge  for  the  reason  that 
if  a  southerly  gale  should  come  on,  as  is  so  frequent  in  these  high 
latitudes,  her  position  would  have  been  one  of  great  peril  in  the 
pack. 

The  following  morning,  May  25,  a  fresh  breeze  sprung  up  from 
southwest,  with  indications  of  an  approaching  gale  from  that  direc- 
tion. It  was  determined  to  send  the  Loch  Garry  back  to  Godhaven 
to  await  a  northeast  gale  before  attempting  the  passage  north,  as  the 
ice  appeared  too  fonnidable  to  risk  her  at  that  time.  As  soon  as  the 
collier  had  fairly  started  south,  about  1  p.  m.,  the  Thetis  was  pushed 
into  the  pack  toward  Hare  Island  with  the  hope  that  open  water 
might  be  found  under  the  land.  Struggling  with  heavy  floes  and  ice 
barriers  and  following  tortuous  leads  until  midnight,  it  was  discov- 
ered that  no  refuge  remained  except  escape  to  the  lee  of  a  heavy  ice- 
berg off  the  north  entrance  of  the  Waigat  Straits.  During  a  cir- 
cuitous passage  of  36  miles  the  ship  was  several  times  beset  by  heavy 
ice,  but  good  luck  worked  to  our  advantage  and  the  first  lesson  of 
patience  was  learned.  The  ship  was  finally  secured  to  an  iceberg 
some  200  feet  in  height,  where  she  remained  in  comparative  safety 
during  the  26th,  though  in  occasional  danger  of  being  crushed,  until 


30  GREELY    RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

the  morning  of  May  27,  when  we  escaped  from  the  grinding  pack  to 
the  "land  water"  under  Hare  Island. 

Before  venturing  into  the  ice  pack  with  its  uncertainties  and  its 
hourly  perils,  sixty  days'  supply  of  provisions  was  got  up  from  below 
and  stowed  opposite  each  boat.  Knapsacks  were  served  out  with  a 
complete  set  of  underclothing  and  foot  gear. 

Rigid  instructions  were  given  that  the  articles  contained  in  them 
were  not  to  be  disturbed  for  any  purpose  except  after  abandonment 
of  ship.  The  hatches  were  kept  ready  for  removal  at  a  moment's 
notice  in  order  to  get  at  provisions  and  clothing  to  throw  on  the  ice 
in  case  of  dangerous  nips.  Officers  and  men  were  detailed  for  each 
boat  with  instructions  what  to  carry  to  them,  and  every  arrangement 
made  to  avoid  confusion  in  hasty  abandonment. 

The  tidal  movement  of  ice  in  and  about  the  Waigat  Straits  and 
through  Melville  Bay  gave  a  very  dangerous  impetus  to  the  heavy 
bergs  and  floes  of  this  sea.  To  attempt  to  avoid  them  by  seeking 
more  westerly  water  was  to  push  out  into  the  polar  pack  with  every 
chance  of  being  beset  and  drifting  helplessly  back  through  Davis' 
Strait.  Under  such  circumstances  the  risk  of  holding  on  to  icebergs 
to  await  favorable  winds  and  tides  to  open  leads  was  to  be  preferred, 
though  it  must  be  admitted  that  great  anxiety  was  always  felt  lest 
these  monsters  should  fall  over  on  the  vessel.  This  was  possible  with 
any  change  of  wind  or  current.  While  lying  under  the  lee  of  an 
enormous  berg  near  the  Waigat  Straits  to  escape  the  force  of  drifting 
floes,  it  suddenly  pivoted,  exposing  the  ship  to  imminent  danger  of 
being  crushed.  The  ship  swung  rapidly  around,  carrying  away  her 
head  gear  and  figure-head.  Lines  were  cast  off  immediately  and  the 
ship  was  worked  safely  into  open  water  spaces  between  the  floes 
toward  the  land  water  in  the  direction  of  Hare  Island.  To  gain  this 
water  it  was  necessary  to  ram  our  way  through  the  lighter  floes  and 
to  blow  the  way  with  torpedoes  through  the  heavier.  At  last  the 
ship  gained  the  open  water  under  Hare  Island  and  was  able  to  keep 
in  it  by  standing  north  and  south  along  the  land  until  the  afternoon 
of  May  27.  At  this  date  a  northerly  gale  set  in  at  Godhaven  and 
with  it  the  Loch  Garry  sailed  northward,  falling  in  with  the  Thetis 
at  Hare  Island  about  9.30  p.  m.  The  following  day  (May  28)  at  5 
a.  m.  the  Thetis  and  Loch  Garry  took  to  the  pack  off  Hare  Island, 
working  with  much  difficulty  and  delay  to  Noursoak,  followed  by 
the  Dundee  whaler  Wolf.  Finding  the  ice  had  opened  somewhat  in 
theOmenak  Fiord  the  Thetis  continued  to  the  northward,  ramming, 
where  necessary,  to  gain  leads  or  to  make  a  passage  for  the  Loch 
Garry.  Fog  prevailed  for  a  time  in  the  morning  and  greatly  in- 
creased the  difficulties  of  navigation.  At  5  p.  m.  a  heavy  snow  storm 
set  in,  accompanied  by  a  fall  of  temperature  below  the  freezing  point 
of  Fahrenheit.  The  water  about  the  ship  was  coated  with  young 
ice,  the  rigging  was  covered  with  rime.     Notwithstanding  these  dif- 


£xf§» 


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n 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  31 

Acuities  the  ship  was  continued  northward,  ramming  her  way  through 
weaker  floes  or  by  avoiding  heavier  ones.  Being  too  thick  to  dis- 
tinguish the  land  it  was  necessary  to  average  courses  by  going  east 
of  one  floe  and  west  of  another  towards  Svarten  Huk  and  Upernavik, 
where  the  Th  etis  and  Loch  Garry  arrived  at  8  a.  m. ,  May  29.  Twenty 
consecutive  hours  of  the  twenty-four  had  been  passed  in  the  "crow's 
nest,"  with  no  comfort  beyond  the  fact  that  each  hour  of  the  time 
reduced  the  interval  of  separation  from  the  Greely  party. 

At  Upernavik  we  came  up  with  the  Bear  and  the  steam  whalers 
Polynia,  Triune,  and  Nova  Zembla.  The  Arctic  and  Wolf  arrived 
later  in  the  day.  Lieutenant  Emory  reported  the  Aurora,  Corn- 
wallis,  and  Narwhal  beset  in  tl  e  pack  to  the  westward  of  the  Brown 
Islands,  some  18  miles  north. 

The  Loch  Garry  was  sent  alongside  the  Bear  to  fill  the  bunkers 
of  the  latter  with  coal.  During  this  interval  of  delay  I  called  upon 
the  governor  of  the  district  Mr.  Elberg,  and  secured  the  services 
of  Nicolai  Broberg,  Eskimo,  as  interpreter. 

At  Upernavik  all  my  information  indicated  the  ice  unbroken  and 
packed  to  the  northward,  and  much  too  formidable  to  expose  the 
Loch  Garry,  unfitted  as  she  was  for  ice  work.  Accordingly  verbal 
instructions  were  given  her  master  to  land  sixty  tons  of  coal  for  the 
Alert,  and  to  await  the  latter's  arrival  later  in  the  season  before  at- 
tempting the  passage  of  Melville  Bay.  Orders  to  this  effect  were 
left  for  Commander  Coffin  : 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
Upernavik,  Greenland,  May  29,  1884. 
Sir  :  The  coal  steamer  Loch  Garry  is  left  here  to  come  on  later  under  your  con- 
voy, the  ice  to  the  northward  making  it  unsafe  to  venture  with  her  so  early  in  the 
season. 

The  Bear  and  myself  go  at  once  to  the  northward  and  will  leave  a  record  for 
you  at  Conical  Rock,  Cape  Parry,  and  Littleton  Island.  The  cairns  will  be  desig- 
nated by  poles  with  black  flags  on  them  and  the  notices  will  be  in  bottles.  The 
western  points  of  islands,  capes,  and  headlands  will  be  chosen  for  the  cairns.  Leave 
a  record  as  you  find  them  both  going  and  returning.  Fill  up  your  bunkers  from 
the  steamer  and  land  from  her  fifty  tons  at  Foulke  Fiord  to  supply  the  house. 

We  have  a  rumor  here  of  five  white  men  to  the  northward  in  the  vicinity  of 
Cape  York  ;  hence  my  anxiety  to  get  on,  as  two  whalers  are  ahead  of  us,  but  I  think 
I  can  catch  them  ;  at  all  events  I  shall  push  to  the  utmost. 
All  are  well  and  in  fine  spirits;  weather  cold;  ice  heavy  and  thick. 
Hoping  you  are  well,  I  am,  very  sincerely,  yours, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.S.N., 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Commander  G.  W.  Coffin,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Alert. 

At  5  p.  m.,  the  Bear  having  finished  coaling,  both  ships  sailed  in 
company  for  Kingitok  Islands,  touching,  en  route,  at  one  or  two 
points  to  secure  seal  meat  for  the  dogs.     Governor  Elberg  accom- 


32  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

panied  the  ship  as  far  as  Kingitok  in  order  to  secure  the  services  of 
a  native  pilot  to  enable  me  to  take  the  inside  passage  as  far  as  Tas- 
suisak.  At  9  p.  m.  came  to  with  ice  anchors  to  the  ice  foot  at  Kingi- 
tok Island.  We  were  detained  at  this  point  until  June  1,  when  a 
violent  southwest  squall  set  in  and  destroyed  this  ice  foot  and  obliged 
me  to  run  around  to  the  north  side  of  the  island  for  security  against 
the  running  pack. 

During  our  detention  at  Kingitok  we  improved  every  moment  to 
exercise  dog  teams,  and  to  send  parties  morning  and  evening  to  the 
top  of  the  island  to  examine  the  outlook  north.  From  the  anchor- 
age on  the  north  side  we  discovered  a  lead  later  in  the  day,  after  the 
wind  had  subsided,  and  pushed  into  it,  though  it  carried  us  a  little 
off-shore.  We  succeeded  nevertheless  in  gaining  the  islands  off 
Tassuisak  during  the  evening  of  June  1,  and  fell  in  with  the  Dun- 
dee whalers  Aurora,  Cormvallis,  and  Narwhal,  moored  to  the  ice 
foot.  The  other  whalers  accompanying  us  to  this  point  remained 
in  the  pack  several  miles  off  shore. 

Passing  through  some  thinner  ice  into  a  lead  which  the  watchful 
commander  of  the  Bear  had  discovered,  and  into  which  he  was  lead- 
ing the  Thetis,  a  few  miles  north  of  the  Berry  Island  in  order  to 
reach  open  water  along  the  land,  the  Bear  ran  upon  one  of  the  nu- 
merous unknown  and  uncharted  rocks  of  that  vicinity.  She  was 
going  at  half  speed  at  the  time ;  her  commander  was  in  the  f  oretop, 
the  officer  of  the  deck  was  in  the  "crow's  nest,"  and  a  lookout  on 
the  boom  end.  All  precautions  possible  in  this  ice-covered  region 
were  taken  to  avoid  accident,  but  risks  which  could  not  be  justified 
under  ordinary  circumstances  of  cruising  had  to  be  assumed  now  as 
incidental  to  the  extraordinary  service. 

The  injury  sustained  by  the  Bear  was  only  of  slight  importance 
and  did  not  prevent  her  continuing  to  the  north  with  the  Thetis,  and 
afterwards  during  the  cruise,  whenever  it  was  necessary  to  ram  the 
thicker  and  more  flinty  ice  of  Melville  Bay  and  Smith's  Sound,  the 
Bear  was  always  found  a  most  faithful  and  efficient  support  to  the 
Thetis. 

Both  ships  were  detained  about  Tassuisak  from  June  1  to  June  3, 
by  solid  ice-pack  to  northward  and  by  strong  southerly  winds,  with 
occasional  thick  weather  and  snow. 

On  the  forenoon  of  the  latter  day  a  lead  was  discovered  along  the 
land  toward  Titliasook,  near  Horse  Head  Islands,  and  was  followed, 
but  proved  delusive  near  the  Wedge  Islands.  Both  ships  attempted 
to  ram  their  way  through,  but  the  ice  was  too  formidable  and  the 
strain  to  ships  too  severe  to  be  continued. 

June  4  Governor  Kleeman,  of  Tassuisak,  visited  the  ships  and  en- 
deavored to  impress  the  danger  of  our  exposed  position  if  a  westerly 
gale  should  set  in.  Somewhat  against  my  judgment,  however,  the 
ships  went  into  Tassuisak  Harbor,  where  we  remained  about  two 


o 

SO 
O 
3 


H 


GKEELY  BELIEF   EXPEDITION.  33 

hours,  when  the  lead  we  had  left  opened  for  several  miles.  Lines 
were  cast  off  from  the  ice  foot  in  Tassuisak  Harbor;  full  steam  power 
was  raisad,  and  a  rush  was  made  to  get  through  a  narrow  lead  into 
open  water,  hut  we  were  a  trifle  too  late.  The  ice  closed  on  the 
Thetis  and  held  the  ship  immovable  until  the  next  morning,  not- 
withstanding the  use  of  torpedoes  ahead  and  on  both  beams  to  extri- 
cate her. 

The  morning  of  June  5,  the  ice  appearing  slacker,  the  Thetis  began 
ramming  again  under  high  speed  and  succeeded  in  breaking  through 
a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  yards  into  open  water,  which  was 
followed  most  of  the  day  amongst  icebergs  and  through  floes  past 
Horse  Head  Island,  Cape  Shackleton,  and  Baffin  Islands  to  a  posi- 
tion about  six  miles  south  of  the  Duck  Islands  in  Melville  Bay.  At 
this  point  the  ice  was  found  packed  and  impenetrable,  and  both  ships 
were  secured  by  ice  anchors  to  the  floe  ice  to  await  an  opening.  The 
three  advance  whalers,  the  Arctic,  Aurora,  and  Narwhal,  had 
worked  through  the  ice  to  this  position  in  advance  of  the  Relief  Ex- 
pedition. 

June  8  we  got  under  way  again  and  followed  a  lead  for  about  two 
miles  northward,  but  finding  it  more  difficult  and  hazardous  to  ram 
successfully  this  heavier  ice  of  Melville  Bay,  we  sought  refuge  a  little 
north  of  a  large  iceberg,  around  which  there  had  opened  a  large  water 
space  which  permitted  us  to  ram  a  dock  in  the  floe  ice  for  the  Thetis 
and  Bear. 

While  lying  in  this  improvised  dock  most  of  the  Scotch  whalers 
came  up  with  us. 

During  the  afternoon  of  June  6,  observing  from  the  "  crow's  nest" 
a  large  open  water  space  about  the  Duck  Islands,  both  ships  were  got 
under  full  headway  about  9  p.  m.  and  rammed  their  way  through 
several  floes  to  gain  this  desired  outpost  for  advance  into  the  more 
perilous  dangers  of  Melville  Bay. 

At  la.  m.,  of  June  7,  both  ships  reached  the  ice  foot  of  the  Duck 
Islands,  and  were  made  fast  to  it  in  company  with  all  the  whalers. 

This  point  being  the  outpost  from  which  advance  across  Melville 
Bay  is  always  made,  it  was  necessary  to  examine  carefully  the  ice 
conditions  in  order  to  distinguish  the  land  ice,  which  rarely  moves, 
from  the  floe  ice  which  detaches  from  it  further  and  further  in  to- 
wards the  land  with  each  month  of  the  short  Arctic  summer. 

During  four  anxious  days  the  ships  were  detained  at  this  anchor- 
age. Strong  winds  from  north  and  south,  with  snow  squalls  and 
dense  fogs,  with  fine  weather  intervals,  occurred  during  this  delay. 

Whenever  it  was  clear  enough  to  see  trips  were  made  to  the  top 
of  the  islands  to  examine  the  outlook  across  Melville  Bay,  though 
very  little  comfort  was  derived  from  these  visits.  This  vast  sea  of 
ice  lay  unbroken  before  us  in  the  north  and  west  directions.  Some- 
times it  seemed  that  it  would  never  break  up. 
H.  Mis.  157 3 


34  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

Countless  icebergs  lay  in  stately  and  silent  splendor,  with  here  and 
there  slight  pools  of  water  about  them.  These  were  promising 
signs,  but  we  soon  learned  that  the  changes  with  every  turn  of  the 
kaleidescope  are  hardly  more  wonderful  or  surprising  than  those  fol- 
lowing each  strong  wind  or  tide  in  these  regions  of  ice. 

These  enforced  waitings  were  all  the  more  hard  to  bear  as  we  knew 
how  seriously  delay  must  tell  upon  the  party  to  whose  relief  we  were 
anxiously  hurrying. 

Watch  was,  therefore,  always  kept  in  the  "  crow's  nest,"  and  every 
crack  in  the  ice  was  critically  scanned  in  the  hope  that  advance 
might  be  made. 

Every  chance,  however  slight,  was  availed  of  to  work  northward 
nearer  to  the  imperiled  party. 

On  the  evening  of  June  10  there  were  unmistakable  indications  of 
a  break  in  the  ice,  and  another  advance  northward. 

At  6.30  a.  m.,  June  11,  observing  open  water  through  the  rifts  in 
the  snow  to  the  northwest  of  the  anchorage,  lines  were  again  cast  off, 
biit  after  a  run  of  an  hour  or  two  in  a  snow  storm  it  was  found  that 
the  leads  were  short  and  tended  northerly  toward  the  land  ice, 
though  closing  by  a  northwest  tide  then  commencing  to  flow.  When 
the  snow  squalls  passed  it  was  found  that  several  whalers  had  pre- 
ceded us  to  this  position,  and  later  the  others  worked  off  near  us. 

Advantage  was  taken  of  the  largest  open  water  space  and  held  dur- 
ing most  of  the  day  until  an  opportunity  offered  to  gain  a  temporary 
mooring  against  the  solid  ice  floe,  close  to  a  favorable  crack  leading 
landward,  which  opened  toward  6  p.  m.,  after  some  ramming  had  been 
done  by  the  two  ships. 

By  9  p.  m. ,  however,  a  still  better  opening  occurred,  when  both  ships 
succeeded  in  making  good  a  distance  of  at  least  three  miles  northward; 
but  with  each  advance  to  a  higher  latitude  the  ice  grew  so  noticeably 
heavier  that  ramming  was  of  necessity  resorted  to  with  caution. 

From  the  position  gained  by  this  day  of  hard  work,  it  was  discov- 
ered that  the  northerly  wind  of  a  day  or  two  past  had  broken  the  ice 
very  considerably  across  Melville  Bay;  therefore,  it  was  necessary  to 
await  its  recurrence,  or  the  cessation  of  a  moderate  wind  then  blow- 
ing, in  order  that  the  floe  ice  might  ease  off  from  the  land  ice. 

A  promising  feature  in  the  outlook  of  this  day  was,  that,  although 
the  floes  were  all  large  and  heavy,  there  was  a  great  quantity  of  broken 
rubble  ice  near  their  edges,  which  usually  indicated  advance  when  the 
tides  or  winds  changed. 

At  3  p.  m.,  June  12,  a  movement  in  the  ice  gave  us  a  chance  to  reach 
a  lead,  after  some  ramming,  by  which  a  mile  further  to  the  northeast 
was  made  toward  the  land  ice.  Again,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  13th 
another  advance  of  a  mile  was  made,  where  both  ships  were  detained 
until  June  14. 


Natives  at  Saunders  Island. 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  35 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  12th  there  was  considerable  movement 
of  the  floes  and  some  dangerous  grinding  of  the  ice  where  the  floes 
touched.  To  avoid  this  all  the  whalers,  except  the  Arctic  and  Wolf, 
steamed  back  to  the  eastward  of  the  Duck  Islands  to  open  water  seen 
near  Sugar  Loaf  Peak. 

Most  of  the  13th  and  the  morning  of  the  14th  the  Thetis,  Bear,  and 
the  Dundee  whaler  Arctic  were  working  at  intervals  into  more  north- 
erly positions  as  the  ice  opened  and  closed,  the  advantage  being  first 
with  ono  and  then  with  the  other,  but  ultimately  the  Relief  Ships 
gained  three  miles  in  advance  of  the  Arctic  and  saw  from  this  posi- 
tion the  Wolf  lying  in  the  ice,  southwest  about  5  miles,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  whaling  fleet  to  the  eastward  of  the  Duck  Islands, 
distant  10  or  12  miles  southeast. 

The  wind  was  light  during  the  afternoon  of  June  14,  but  the  tide 
opened  a  lead  into  which  the  Th  etis  and  Bear  started,  but  were  jammed 
for  an  hour  or  two  in  packed  ice  near  a  large  berg.  The  Arctic  an  I 
Wolf  having  better  luck  and  more  open  water  about  them  reached 
the  lead  in  advance  of  the  Relief  Ships,  but  gained  no  other  advan- 
tage than  leading  in  open  water  along  the  land  ice  in  the  lead  that 
broadened  from  100  feet  to  as  many  yards,  extending  about  30  miles 
to  the  northwest,  with  here  and  there  a  difficult  pass  thaf  had  to  be 
rammed  through,  until  the  solid  ice  was.  met  with  again  about  2  a.m., 
June  15. 

This  was  the  best  run  made  for  several  days  -and  the  novelty  of 
maHng  8  knots  was  much  enjoyed.  Both  ships  reached- the  vicinity 
of  the  northerly  Brown  Islands,  when  further  advance  was  arrested 
by  barriers  of  ice  from  6  to  8  feet  thick,  and  in  places  where  rafted 
from  15  to  20  feet. 

Ramming  ice  of  this  character  was  so  serious  a  matter  to  the  safety 
of  the  ships  that  it  was  resorted  to  with  much  caution,  while  torpe- 
does were  of  no  practicable  use,  those  of  gun-cotton  producing  only 
local  effects. 

We  were  detained  at  this  point  until  2.35  p.  m.,  of  June  15,  when 
fairer  weather  and  wind  allowed  the  ice  to  ease  off  from  the  solid 
land  ice,  when  another  advance  of  some  60  miles  was  made  through 
dangerous  and  tortuous  leads  close  to  heavy  icebergs  up  to  a  position 
58  miles  southeast  of  Cape  York.  At  this  position  the  land  ice  was 
found  to  extend  in  one  unbroken  mass  off-shore  a  distance  of  about 
60  miles,  impenetrable  and  impassable,  with  the  pack  solid  in  all  di- 
rections, and  with  some  indications  of  a  coming  gale.  Under  such 
circumstances  the  imminent  peril  to  both  ships  from  rapidly  running 
floes,  whose  area,  in  most  cases  very  great,  suggested  the  importance 
of  ice  docks  in  the  land  ice.  This  was  soon  abandoned,  as  it  was 
found  impossible  to  work  the  saws  in  ice  of  such  thickness.  Ramming 
was  not  to  be  thought  of.  We  were  obliged,  therefore,  to  keep  under 
way  a  good  deal  of  the  day  of  June  16,  and  part  of  the  17th,  during 


36  GREELY  RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

a  fresh  southerly  wind,  in  order  to  maintain  a  position  in  the  largest 
open  water  space  that  could  be  reached  and  held  to  avoid  the  nipping 
fioes. 

The  anxiety  of  some  forty  hours  was  severe  and  wearing ;  but  little 
sleep  was  obtained  by  the  commanders,  as  it  was  possible  at  any 
moment  that  both  ships  might  be  crushed  and  their  crew,  thrown 
on  to  the  ice. 

The  movements  of  the  fioes  on  this  day  occasionally  opened  tempt- 
ing leads  to  the  southwest  of  our.  position,  which  the  energetic  cap- 
tain of  the  Artie  could  not  resist;  but  which,  unfortunately,  caught 
his  vessel  and  squeezed  her  considerably. 

The  Aurora  and  Wolf  strove  to  make  a  similar  movement,  but, 
fortunately  for  them,  the  ice  closed  before  they  could  gain  the  lead 
in  which  the  Arctic  was  caught.  It  was  reserved  for  them  to  get 
through  Melville  Bay  with  the  Relief  Ships,  as  the  Arctic  was  left 
behind  and  was  never  seen  again  by  the  Thetis. 

Fortunately,  we  were  able  to  avoid  dangerous  nips  during  this  in- 
terval, when,  to  our  satisfaction,  the  wind  shifted  and  fell  lighter, 
and  a  promising  lead  in  the  direction  of  Cape  York  enabled  us  to 
escape  at  9  p.  m.,  June  17,  and  to  reach  that  coveted  point  at  5  a.  m. 
of  the  morning  of  June  18.  In  clearing  a  false  lead  and  working 
through  heavy  ice  the  Thetis  split  her  rudder  by  collision  with  a 
heavy  floe  and  was  detained  about  an  hour  to  effect  repairs.  The 
two  Scotch  whalers,  Aurora  and  Wolf,  were  in  company  and  worked 
ahead  of  the  Relief  Ships,  and  with  them  ultimately  into  a  large  open 
water  space,  which  was  thought  at  the  time  to  be  the  "north  water." 
Gaining  this  open  water,  the  Bear  being  somewhat  faster  than  the 
Thetis,  was  sent  ahead  to  land  Lieutenant  Colwell  and  three  men  to 
communicate  with  the  Cape  York  natives.  This  Lieutenant  Emory 
effected  about  6  a.  m.,  and  sent  the  party  G  or  8  miles  over  the  ice  to 
Cape  York.  I  determined  to  remain  with  the  Thetis  to  pick  up 
this  party,  and,  therefore,  instructed  Lieutenant  Emory  to  go  to  the 
westward  in  search  of  a  lead  northward,  and,  if  possible,  to  continue 
on,  examining  Gary  Island  en  route,  and  to  await  my  arrival  at 
Littleton  Island. 

The  Bear,  the  Aurora,  and  the  Wolf  steamed  westward  about 
6.30  a.  m. 

At  7.30  a.  m.  the  tide  changed  and  the  ice  broke  from  the  land,  open- 
ing a  lead  close  up  to  Cape  York,  where  I  found  Lieutenant  Colwell 
interviewing  a  native,  but  no  information  could  be  obtained  of  Lieu- 
tenant Greely's  party.  Taking  Colwell's  party  on  board  the  Thetis 
continued  by  Cape  York  and  onward  through  troublesome  ice  pack, 
ami  reached  Conical  Rock  about  3  p.  in.  the  same,  day.  A  cairn  was 
erected  on  its  western  side  containing  a  record  for  Lieutenant  Emory 
and  Commander  Coffin. 


o 

> 


> 


^ 


'J&NIK 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  37 

The  pack  of  lower  Smith' s  Sound,  studded  with  hummoeky  pack  ice, 
was  very  formidable  in  appearance.  The  strong  tides  made  it  danger- 
ous in  movement.  About  midnight  the  pack  to  the  northward  was 
examined,  but  finding  it  impenetrable  and  impassable  the  Thetis  was 
forced  to  return  and  moor  again  to  an  iceburg,  grounded  under  the  lee 
of  Conical  Rock,  until  1.45  p.  m.,  June  19,  when  the  southerly  wind, 
which  had  sprung  up  that  morning  shifted,  and  the  ice  under  the 
tidal  influence  had  become  slacker.  Another  advance  was  made 
after  considerable  ramming  and  by  using  torpedoes,  when  practica- 
ble, until  open  water  was  gained  some  hours  later  near  Capes  Dudley 
Digg's  and  Athol.  Ten  hours  of  hard  work  through  the  pack,  fol- 
lowing narrow  and  winding  leads  amongst  hummoeky  floes,  brought 
the  Thetis  up  to  a  narrow  open  water  space  about  the  western  end  of 
Wolstenholm  Island,  where  a  cairn  was  erected  and  notices  depos- 
ited for  Emory  and  Coffin.  This  concluded,  she  was  continued  on- 
ward to  Saunders  Island,  where  she  arrived  about  3  a.  m.  of  June 
20.  At  this  latter  island  we  met  a  large  number  of  natives,  but  could 
learn  nothing  from  them  of  the  Greely  party.  Indeed  they  were  not 
even  aware  that  any  white  men  were  in  the  north  country. 

Some  broken  oars  and  pieces  of  wood  were  given  the  natives  for 
their  kayaks,  and  some  bread  and  meat  to  encourage  them  to  acts  of 
friendliness  to  others  coming  after  us.  The  uncertainties  of  the 
navigation  in  these  regions  suggested  the  importance  of  cultivating 
kindly  relations  towards  the  natives,  who  had  on  previous  occasions 
aided  parties  returning  after  disaster  from  the  northward. 

The  coast  and  islands  up  to  this  point  had  been  carefully  searched 
with  glasses,  but  without  discovering  any  indications  of  Greely's 
party.  The  natives  here  stated  that  during  the  early  spring,  before 
the  ice  had  broken,  a  party  of  them  had  hunted  well  off  on  the  ice, 
towards  the  Carey  Islands,  but  had  not  seen  anything  to  indicate  that 
any  white  men  were  there.  This  information  determined  me  to  move 
to  the  northward  with  all  dispatch  from  Saunders  Island,  about  5  a. 
m.,  for  Cape  Parry  and  Littleton  Island. 

Great  difficulty  was  experienced  during  this  entire  day  in  working 
my  way  through  the  very  heavy  and  very  troublesome  ice,  studded 
as  it  was  with  numerous  large  hummocks.  Cape  Parry  was  reached, 
however,  about  2.30  p.  m.,  and  another  cairn  erected  on  its  western 
side,  and  records  were  left  in  it  for  Lieutenant  Emory  and  Comman- 
der Coffin. 

Leaving  Cape  Parry,  this  vessel  grounded  upon  a  sunken  rock, 
not  marked  on  my  small  scale  chart,  but  as  her  speed  at  this  time 
was  about  two  knots  no  injury  of  conseqxxence  was  sustained. 

Standing  across  Whale  Sound,  through  very  heavy  ice,  ramming 
frequently  through  tongues  connecting  large  floes,  Northumberland 
and  Hakluyt  Islands  were  reached  about  8.30  p.  m.,  and  examined 
carefully  in  turn  without  results.     We  continued  onward  to  Little- 


38  GREELY  BELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

ton  Island  about  9  p.  m.  From  Northumberland  Island  to  Cape 
Alexander  the  ship  was  navigated  through  a  belt  of  icebergs  twenty- 
four  miles  broad,  so  close  together,  in  many  instances,  that  it  was 
difficult  to  determine  the  way  until  up  with  them.  By  11  p.  m.  a 
southerly  wind,  with  occasional  snow  squalls,  set  in  and  continued 
until  my  arrival  at  Littleton  Island,  about  3  a.  m.,  June  21.  Round- 
ing the  island  to  its  north  side  the  ship  ran  upon  another  unknown 
rock,  but  at  low  speed,  and  caroming  off  she  fetched  up  against  the  ice- 
foot of  the  island.  She  hung  about  ten  minutes,  thumping  some, 
but  sustained  no  injury  whatever,  the  grinding  pack  ice  in  driving 
down  having  smoothed  off  the  rocks  in  passing  over  them.  Clearing 
this  danger,  the  north  side  of  the  island  was  reached  and  the  ship 
was  moored  to  an  iceberg  grounded  near  it.  Parties  were  sent  to 
examine  the  Nares  cairn,  the  Beebe  cache,  and  Littleton  Island  for 
records  of  Lieutenant  Greely,  but  without  success.  Before  their 
return  the  wind  had  increased  so  much,  with  driving  snow,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  see  a  hundred  feet  from  the  ship,  while  the  opposite 
shore  of  Grinnell  Land  was  completely  hidden  from  view. 

While  the  parties  were  engaged  in  searching  for  the  cairns  and 
caches  the  tide  fell  and  the  wind  had  increased  so  much  that  getting 
off  the  ice-foot  of  the  island  in  the  swell  was  difficult  and  very  dan- 
gerous. As  it  was  intended  to  increase  the  cache  of  provisions  at 
this  place  to  1,000  rations,  it  was  necessary  to  wait  for  the  wind  and 
sea  to  go  down  before  this  could  be  effected.  The  search  parties  re- 
turned late  in  the  afternoon  to  the  ship  and  were  taken  off  with  some 
difficulty,  tired  and  worn  out  by  their  tedious  travelling  over  rocks 
and  snow  and  through  steep  valleys. 

Again,  it  was  intended  to  visit  Polaris  winter  quarters  at  Lifeboat 
Cove,  the  following  morning,  but  the  wind  and  sea,  though  some- 
what abated,  were  still  too  heavy  to  allow  this  to  be  done.  Atten- 
tion was  directed  on  the  following  morning,  June  22,  to  landing  pro- 
visions at  the  Beebe  cache,  which  we  succeeded  in  doing  towards 
noon.  Leaving  a  record  on  McGary  Island  for  Emory,  informing 
him  that  the  Thetis  would  wait  for  him  at  Payer  Harbor,  and  hav- 
ing learned  nothing  of  Greely  up  to  this  point,  it  was  determined 
to  push  on  at  once  to  Cape  Sabine,  but,  as  the  Bear  had  not  come  up, 
I  was  anxious  lest  she  had  met  with  disaster  in  working  through 
such  ice  as  the  Thetis  had  encountered  coming  from  Cape  York. 
Again,  as  it  had  been  concluded  that  the  advance  must  now  be  pushed 
vigorously  to  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  it  did  not  seem  prudent  to  attempt 
the  dangers  of  Kane  Sea  until  the  Bear  had  come  up. 

To  my  great  relief  and  delight  she  arrived  about  12.30  p.  m., 
June  22. 

Lieutenant  Emory  came  on  board  and  reported  that  he  had  carried 
out  his  instructions  to  search  for  a  passage  to  the  westward  of  Cape 
York,  on  the  morning  of  June  18,  but  after  several  hours  steaming 


o 

o 

< 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  39 

in  that  direction  was  convinced  that  his  better  route  was  to  regain 
the  shore  leads  and  to  follow  them  to  the  Carey  Islands. 

Approaching  Cape  York  the  same  afternoon  the  ice  conditions  were 
found  entirely  changed.  A  southwest  wind,  accompanied  by  snow, 
had  driven  extensive  floes  of  ice  into  the  large  water  space  the  ships 
had  traversed  the  morning  of  that  day,  and  with  no  open  water  in 
Bight  the  Bear  was  obliged  to  force  her  way  up  to  the  land  ice  off 
( 'ape  York,  to  remain  there  beset  until  the  morning  of  June  20,  shift- 
ing position  continually,  as  the  grinding  floes  wovdd  render  each  new 
one  precarious.  Several  hours  later  the  Arctic,  Wolf,  and  Aurora, 
Dundee  whalers,  were  seen  approaching,  but  they  failed  to  force  their 
way  nearer  than  a  league  of  the  Bear's  position. 

The  Aurora  appeared  badly  nipped  at  this  time  and  lowered  all  of 
her  boats  on  to  the  ice,  as  if  preparing  to  abandon  her. 

During  the  morning  of  June  20  the  wind  shifted  from  southeast  to 
northeast,  with  heavy  snow.  This  shift  of  wind  slackened  the  ice  and 
released  the  Bear.  The  Aurora  was  eased  from  her  nip  by  the  same 
influences. 

Taking  advantage  of  this  release  the  Bear  forced  her  way  to  the 
Carey  Islands  after  an  unceasing  combat  of  thirty-eight  hours,  in  a 
blinding  snow-storm,  imperiled  hourly  by  the  heaviest  ice  and  increas- 
ing difficulties  of  its  movement. 

During  much  of  this  time  it  was  almost  impossible  to  distinguish 
leads  beyond  a  ship's  length  ahead.  Several  times  during  this  passage 
the  Bear  was  beset  with  heavy  ice  and  was  in  much  danger.  By  7.30 
p.  m.,  June  21,  the  weather  cleared  and  the  Carey  Islands  were  ob- 
served about  two  miles  distant,  north-northeast.  At  9  p.  m.  they 
were  reached  and  the  ship  was  secured  to  a  grounded  floeberg  adja- 
cent the  cache  established  by  Sir  George  Nares  in  1876.  The  pro- 
visions of  this  cache  were  sampled  and  found  excellently  preserved. 

As  Lieutenant  Emory  found  here  no  record  of  Lieutenant  Greely 
he  sailed  at  11  p.  m.,  heading  for  clear  water  to  the  northward,  indi- 
cated by  a  "water  blink,"  or  water  sky,  in  that  direction,  and  for 
several  hours  was  required  to  force  his  way  through  the  heavy  and 
troublesome  pack,  but  he  succeeded  at  last  in  gaining  open  water. 

Assisted  by  a  fresh  southerly  gale  blowing  at  this  time,  Lieutenant 
Emory  made  the  best  of  his  way  to  Littleton  Island,  where  he  rejoined 
the  Thetis  about  noon  of  Sunday,  June  22 . 

When  the  Bear  left  the  Carey  Islands  the  Dundee  whalers  Arctic 
and  Aurora  were  seen  to  the  southward  and  westward,  working 
through  the  pack  in  the  direction  of  Lancaster  Sound. 

Records  for  Commander  Coffin  were  left  at  Littleton  Island  and 
those  for  Emory  taken  up.  The  Beebe  cache  of  provisions  there  was 
increased  to  1,000  rations,  and  both  ships  sailed  for  the  north  about 
3  p.  m. ,  in  a  moderate  gale.     They  reached  Payer  Harbor  at  7  p.  m. 


40  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

and  moored  with  ice  anchors  to  the  harbor  ice  that  had  not  yet 
broken  up. 

Lieutenant  E.  H.  Taunt  with  three  seamen,  George  Yewell,  Joseph 
Mitre,  and  Hugh  Brock  were  sent  to  examine  the  cairn  on  Brevoort 
Island;  Ensign  C.  H.  Harlow  with  two  seamen,  J.  W.  Powers,  and 
John  Manin,  to  examine  Stalknecht  Island  cache;  Lieutenant  J.  C. 
Colwell,  Ice  Masters  J.  W.  Norman.  F.  Ash,  and  Chief  Engineer 
John  Lowe  were  detailed  to  visit,  in  the  Bears  steam  cutter,  the 
Wreck  Camp  cache  west  of  Cape  Sabine;  Chief  Engineer  G.  W.  Mel- 
ville, Dr.  H.  E.  Ames,  and ,  Ensign  Beynolds,  with  seaman  John 
Lindquist,  to  examine  the  coast  line  at  bottom  of  Payer  Harbor. 
These  parties  were  started  simultaneously  in  order  to  cover  the  entire 
ground  in  the  shortest  practicable  time,  that  no  opportunity  be  lost 
to  push  rapidly  towards  Cape  Hawkes,  if  no  advice  should  be  received 
of  Greely  at  any  of  these  cairns  or  caches. 

About  8  p.  m.  cheers  were  heard  above  the  roaring  winds,  but 
could  not  be  located  accurately;  again,  a  second  time,  cheers  were 
heard  more  distinctly.  A  few  minutes  later,  however,  Seaman  Yew- 
ell came  to  me,  almost  out  of  breath,  with  the  information  that  Lieu- 
tenant Greely  and  his  party  were  at  Cape  Sabine.  He  handed  me 
several  records  which  Lieutenant  Taunt  had  discovered  in  the  cairn 
on  Brevoort  Island.  These  records  were  carefully  read.  They  were 
found  to  refer  to  dates  eight  and  nine  months  previous  to  my  arrival, 
and  in  them  the  location  of  Lieutenant  Greely's  camp  was  described. 
The  records  are  as  follows ; 

The  International  Polar  Expedition  was  fitted  out  by  the  War  Department  of  the 
United  States,  under  the  supervision  of  Gen'l  W.  B.  Hazen,  Chief  Signal  Officer. 

Sailing  from  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  July  9th,  1881,  it  touched  at  Disco,  Riten- 
benk,  ITpernavik,  Carey  Islands,  Littleton  Island,  Cape  Hawkes,  Carl  Ritter  Bay, 
and  was  stopped  by  ice  for  the  first  time  in  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  near  Cape  Lieber. 
It  landed  in  Discovery  Harbor,  August  12th.  The  steamship  Proteus  sailed  August 
26th. 

The  winter  of  1881-2  proved  to  be  of  remarkable  severity  ;  the  corrected  mean  for 
February  of  a  thermometer  on  the  floe  was  -  48.  03.  Musk-ox  meat  was  procured 
in  large  quantities  and  other  game  to  less  extent.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  during  the 
autumn  explored  the  "  Bellows  '  and  the  valley  of  St.  Patrick's  Bay  and  attempted 
in  November,  twenty-one  days  after  the  sun  left  us,  to  cross  Robeson  Channel,  but 
was  obliged  by  open  water  and  heavy  ice  to  turn  back  several  miles  from  Cape 
Beechy. 

Starting  eleven  days  before  the  sun  returned  he  examined  Robeson  Channel  off 
Cape  Beechy,  and  leaving  March  1st,  visiting  Thank  God  Harbor  via  Capes  Beechy 
and  Lupton,  returned  via  Newman  Bay  and  Cape  Sumner  March  11th,  having  been 
detained  two  days  by  violent  storm. 

Dr.  Pavy  visited  Lincoln  Bay  in  September,  established  depots  in  Wrangell  Bay  in 
October  and  near  Mt.  Parry  in  November,  returning  on  the  8th.  and  between 
March  5th  and  9th,  1882,  established  a  depot  near  Cape  Sumner.  On  October  2nd 
he  started  to  visit  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  but  was  turned  back  by  open  water  at  the 
Black  Cliffs.  He  leaves  March  18th,  1882,  to  reach  land,  if  possible,  north  of  Cape 
Joseph  Henry.     Lieut.  Lockwood  leaves  April  1st  to  explore  the  land  north  and  cist 


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GREELY  RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  41 

of  Cape  Britannia.     The  commanding  officer  proposes,  later,  an  attempt  to  reach  the 
western  shore  of  Grinnell  Land  via  Black  Cliffs  Valley. 

The  health  of  the  command  has  continued  excellent  to  the  present  time.  No  signs 
of  scurvy,  except  possibly  Eskimo  Jens  ;  all  veil  at  present  date  (March  15,  1882). 
The  winter  has  passed  comfortably  and  pleasantly. 

A.  W.  GREELY, 
1st  Lieutenant,  5th  Cavalry,  Aet'g  Sig.  Off.  and 

Assistant  Commanding  Expedition. 

This  record  is  deposited  by  Octave  Pavy,  who  leaving  Fort  Conger  Oct.  37th,  1882, 
with  party  of  D.  L.  Brainard. 

Oct.  31,  1882. 

Taken  up  Aug.  12th,  1883,  by  Lieutenant  Greely  and  party  going  Sd.  to  Littleton 
Island. 


Fort  Conger,  G.  L.,  Oct.  26f7i,1882. 

During  the  spring  and  summer,  1882,  the  following  trips  have  been  made:  A. 
A.  Surg.  0.  Pavy  left  March  19th  to  reach  land  north  of  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  but 
returned  May  4th,  having  found  open  water  in  the  Polar  Ocean,  where  he  was  for  a 
time  afloat  with  his  party  on  the  moving  ice-pack. 

Lieut.  J.  B.  Lockwood  left  April  3rd  and  returned  June  2nd,  having  in  the  mean 
time  discovered  Hazen  (oast,  which  extends  northeast  ward  from  Cape  Britannia  to 
83°  30'  N.  and  about  38°  W.  He  reached  83'  24'  N.,  40°  46'  W.  No  land  directly 
north  or  northwest,  although  horizon  was  searched  on  clear  days  from  altitude  of 
over  2,000  feet.  The  coast  still  continued  its  trend  to  the  N.  E.  (tr).  The  command- 
ing officer  penetrating  the  interior  of  Grinnell  Land  in  April  and  again  in  July,  dis- 
covered a  lake  about  60  miles  by  (8)  eight,  called  Lake  Hazen  and  reached  Mt.  C.  A. 
Arthur,  81°  13'  N.,  74°  10'  W.,  whence  from  an  elevation  of  4,500  feet  a  view  was 
had  on  a  very  clear  day.  Low  land  to  the  W. ,  S.  W. ,  and  S.  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach.  In  W.  S.  W.  in  slight  depression,  from  75  to  100  miles  distant,  a  range  of 
mountains  which,  possibly,  are  on  a  land  separated  from  Grinnell  Land  by  a  narrow 
strait.  During  August  launch  "  Lady  Greely  "  ran  to  head  Archer  Fiord  and  part 
way  into  Howgate  Fiord .  which  latter,  inland  from  Miller's  Island,  receives  the  water 
of  Lake  Hazen  via  Ruggles  River.  No  casualties  to  date  ;  all  well  at  present.  In 
case  of  no  vessel  the  station  wMl  be  abandoned  August  11, 1883.  the  party  retreating 
by  boats  along  the  west  coast  of  Kennedy  ( 'hannel  and  Smith's  Sound. 

A.  W.  GREELY,  1st  It.,  5th  Cav.,  A.  S.  O.  and 

Assistant  Commanding  Expedition. 


Record  left  by  Lieutenant  Greely,  commanding  Polar  Expedition,  en  route  to 
Littleton  Island,  with  ultimate  intention  of  reaching  S.  E.  Carey  Island. 

I  abandoned  Ft.  Conger,  G.  L. ,  August  9th,  1883,  at  3  p.  m.  ,with  party  of  twenty-five, 
all  well.  Reached  Cape  Baird  August  10  and  left  same  evening  near  midnight,  steam 
launch  Lady  Greely  towing  boats  Valorous,  Beaumont,  and  whaleboat.  On  board 
5,500  lbs.  coal  and  over  forty  days  rations.  Took  up  enough  at  Cape  Craycroft  to 
make  forty-five  days  rations.  Had  foggy  weather,  with  snow;  met  some  ice. 
Reached  Carl  Ritter  Bay  about  10  p.  m.  Aug.  12,  and  took  up  cache,  leaving  at 
once  with  about  fifty  days  complete  rations,  except  sugar.  Stopped  by  floe  about 
80°  43'  N.,  morning  Aug.  13.  Took  up  depot  of  240  rations  at  Cape  Collinson  Aug. 
22nd  and  at  one  p.  m. ,  Aug.  23rd  were  tied  up  to  ice-foot  about  two  n  ules  s<  mth  of  Cape 
Norton  Shaw.     Stopped  by  dense  rubble  ice,  which  extended  as  far  south  as  could  l>e 


42  GREELY   BELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

seen.  All  well  at  that  time.  Reached  Cape  Hawkes  Aug.  26th,  took  up  168  lbs. 
potatoes,  111  lbs.  pickles,  250  bread,  324  stearine.  Left  same  afternoon  and  were 
beset  that  night  in  about  73°  W.,  79°  25,'N.  in  attempting  to  reach  Victoria  Head  by 
direct  course.  All  well  Aug.  27,  1883.  No  signs  of  a  ship  or  of  depots  for  us  have 
been  seen,  although  the  shore  has  been  carefully  followed  and  watched.  A  N. 
E.  gale  forced  us  down  to  79°  00'  06"  N.,  74°  45'  W.,  when  temperature  fell  So]  it.' 
8th  to  -0.8,  freezing  in  the  party.  It  is  the  intention  to  abandon  launch  Lady  Greely 
and  one  boat  Monday,  Sept.  10,  and  to  reach  Cape  Sabine  with  two  boats  by 
sledge  via  Cocked  Hat  Island.  Party  all  well  and  in  good  spirits  at  date.  Have 
about  (40)  forty  days  complete  rations.  It  is  the  intention,  as  soon  as  separation  shall 
be  safe,  to  send  an  officer  and  two  men  to  Brevoort  Island  to  obtain  record,  which 
should  be  there,  of  the  movements  of  shi])  and  location  of  depot  this  year.  If  boats 
have  been  left  there  it  will  greatly  facilitate  our  movements  and  increase  our  chances 
of  safety.  Abandoned  launch  and  one  boat  Sept.  10th,  and  later  another  boat. 
Driven  into  the  middle  of  Kane's  Sea  twice  by  S.  W.  gales;  once  from  about 
three  miles  off  Cocked  Hat  Island,  and  again  from  about  same  distance  from  Sabine; 
yet  later,  when  within  two  miles  of  Brevoort  Island,  driven  by  a  N.  W.  gale  and 
ice  pressure  to  north  side  Baird  Inlet,  between  Leffert  and  Alfred  Newton  glaciers 
of  Admiralty  chart  or  just  north  of  Cape  Patterson,  Nares  map.  Reached  land  Sept- 
29th  with  one  boat,  12  man  sledges,  25  days  rations.  Party  of  25  all  well  yet 
and  hopeful  of  future.  Lt.  Lock  wood  probably  starts  for  Sabine  Oct.  1,  and 
will  deposit  this  record.  If  no  rations  except  English  are  found  they  will  be  hauled 
away  to  this  point,  and  Cape  Isabella  visited  by  sledge  in  hope  of  finding  another 
there;  as  a  forlorn  hope,  when  rations  are  reduced  to  ten  days,  an  attempt  will  be 
made  to  reach  Littleton  Island  by  sledge,  leaving  records  and  cairn  here  with  bind; 
records  to  be  not  exceeding  25  feet  from  boat.  Pendulum  and  duplicate  records 
will  be  cached  at  site  of  English  depot  by  Lt.  Lockwood.  Hope  to  obtain  game 
enough  to  keep  us  alive  until  Feb'y.,  when  will  start  for  Littleton  Island  as  soon  as 
sun  permits  travelling. 

A.  W.  GREELY, 
1st  Lt.  5  Com.,  A.  S.  O.  &  Ass't  Commanding  Expedition. 

Sept.  30th,  1883. 

N.  side  Baird  Inlet. 


Visit  Brevoort  Island  for  maps  and  records  in  English  cairn.  Our  party  winter 
under  desperate  circumstances,  in  imminent  danger  of  starvation,  on  N.  side  Baird 
Inlet.    All  well;  twenty -five  yet  in  party. 

A.  W.  GREELY, 
1st  Lt.  5  Cav. ,  A.  S.  O.  &  Asst.  Commanding  Expedition. 
Sept.  30,  1883. 
N.  side  Baird  Inlet. 


Left  Lt.  Greely's  party  at  north  side  Baird  Inlet  on  Oct.  1st.,  accompanied  by  one 
Eskimo,  and  arrived  at  Payer  Harbor  yesterday,  Oct.  5th.  Encountered  great  dif- 
ficulty in  travelling.  Rosse  Bay  and  all  its  ramifications  entirely  open  and  a  strait 
found  opening  out  to  the  west  of  Cocked  Hat  Island  and  separating  Sabine  from  main- 
land; had  to  be  followed  on  inside  throughout  its  entire  length. 

Travelled  through  thick  weather  yesterday  and  did  not  see  cache  landed  from 
wreck  of  Proteus  and  mentioned  in  Lt.  Garlington's  notice,  but  found  depot  of  240 
rations  marked  by  tripod  all  right.  Boat  damaged  as  stated.  The  cache  of  clothing 
opposite  the  place  has  been  scattered  by  the  bears.  Two  bags  of  hard  bread  found 
with  the  clothing  ;  one  partly  destroyed  (also  some  ****).     I  shall  now  endeavor 


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GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  43 

to  examine  the  English  cache  so  that  we  may  know  what  to  depend  upon,  but  it  is 
now  a  dense  fog  and  the  ice  not  very  secure  and  it  is  possible  I  may  have  to  return 
to  my  party  without  the  information  regarding  the  latter  cache.  It  is  impossible  for 
Lt.  Greely  and  party  to  move  with  their  equipment  to  this  neighborhood  until  later 
in  the  season,  and  it  is  my  opinion  he  will  go  into  winter  quarters  at  his  present 
position  and  send  for  the  provisions  herein  mentioned  so  soon  as  Rosse  Bay  freezes 
over. 

I  take  up  all  records  concerning  us  for  Lt.  Greely's  information,  as  I  cannot  wait 
to  make  copies. 

Too  cold  for  further  particulars.     I  start  back  at  once. 

GEO.  H.  RICE, 

Signal  Corps,  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition. 
Oct.  6th,  1883.  *^ 


My  party  is  now  permanently  encamped  on  the  west  side  of  a  small  neck  of  land 

which  connects  the  wreck  cache  cove  or  bay  and  the  one  to  its  west.      Distant  about 

equally  from  Cape  Sabine  and  Cocked  Hat  Island.    All  well. 

A.  W.  GREELY, 

1st  Lt. ,  &e. ,  Commanding. 
Sunday,  Oct.  21,  1883. 

A  short  time  after  Yewell's  arrival  with  these  records,  which  es- 
tablished the  location  of  Lieutenant  Greely  and  his  party,  Ensign 
Harlow  signaled  from  Stalknecht  Island,  "Send  five  men;  I  have 
found  all  Greely's  records,  instruments,  &c." 

After  the  foregoing  records  found  by  Lieutenant  Taunt  had  been 
carefully  read  and  understood,  the  Thetis  sounded  three  long  blasts 
of  her  whistle,  the  signal  of  general  recall. 

Up  to  this  moment  the  steam  cutter  of  the  Bear  had  not  yet  got 
away.  She  was  ordered  alongside  the  Thetis,  given  a  flag,  some 
pemmican,  and  bread. 

Lieutenant  Col  well,  of  the  Bear,  was  given  instructions  to  proceed 
to  the  Wreck  Camp  cache,  the  whereabouts  of  which  he  knew,  as  he 
had  established  it  the  year  before,  and  if  any  of  the  party  were  alive 
to  inform  them  that  their  relief  was  close  at  hand.  At  the  same  time 
he  was  instructed  to  administer  food  with  the  greatest  care  until  the 
surgeons  should  arrive. 

Some  half  hour  later  I  went  on  board  the  Bear  and  steamed 
round  to  the  "Wreck  Camp  cache,  distant  about  five  miles  from  Bre- 
voort  Island. 

The  Thetis  was  left  at  Payer  Harbor  with  orders  to  pick  up  all 
parties  sent  out  to  examine  the  cairns,  caches,  and  coast  line,  and 
then  to  follow  the  Bear  to  the  Wreck  Camp  cache. 

The  ice  of  Kane  Sea  was  set  off  the  land  to  the  northward  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  by  the  strong  southerly  gale  blowing  at  the  time. 

The  Bear  reached  the  camp  about  9.30  p.  m.,  about  ten  minutes 
after  the  steam  cutter.  The  Thetis  arrived  at  the  camp  about  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  later  than  the  Bear,  and  thirty  or  forty  minutes 
after  the  steam  cutter. 


44  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

The  water  about  the  coast  being  very  deep,  the  Bear  was  run  close 
in  towards  the  beach. 

As  the  steam  cutter  reached  the  Wreck  Camp  cache,  Lieutenant 
Colwell,  Chief  Engineer  Lowe,  and  Ice  Masters  Ash  and  Norman 
discovered  Sergeant  Long  standing  on  the  rocks,  above  the  beach. 
Running  in  to  the  shore,  and  taking  him  into  the  cutter,  they  learned 
from  him  the  location  of  the  camp  and  the  number  alive.  They  went 
to  it  to  announce  to  Lieutenant  Greely  the  coming  of  relief.  Chief 
Engineer  Lowe  returned  to  the  steam  cutter  from  the  camp,  and 
brought  Long  off  at  once  to  the  Bear,  to  give  me  all  details  of  the 
party.     The  others  remained  on  shore  with  Greely's  party. 

As  Long  was  too  weak  to  get  on  board  himself,  he  was  carried  up 
the  side  by  the  crew  and  placed  on  a  chair  in  the  saloon.  Learning 
full  particulars  from  him,  after  a  few  moment's  conversation,  I  went 
on  shore  in  the  steam  cutter  immediately  with  Lieutenant  Emory,  • 
Ensign  Reynolds,  Doctor  Ames,  and  several  of  the  crew  of  the  Bear, 
and  reached  Greely's  camp  about  10  p.  m. 

Lieutenant  Colwell  informed  me  that  he  found  the  tent  covering 
the  party  blown  down  on  them,  and  that  he  had  partially  raised  it 
with  the  assistance  of  Ash  and  Norman,  and  had  given  the  survi- 
vors some  small  bits  of  bread  and  pemmican. 

Signal  was  made  to  the  Thetis,  soon  after  coming  up,  to  send  more 
officers  and  men  with  Ensign  Harlow,  and  the  photographic  instru- 
ment;  also  to  send  clothing,  blankets,  and  stretchers. 

To  this  signal  Chief  Engineer  Melville,  Dr.  Green,  Lieutenant 
Taunt,  Lieutenant  Lemly,  and  Ensign  Harlow,  of  the  Thetis,  and 
Lieutenant  Usher,  of  the  Bear,  responded. 

These  officers  were  assigned  various  duties  in  connection  with  the 
removal  of  the  living  and  dead,  their  effects,  &c.  The  doctors  were 
left  to  administer  stimulants  to  Lieutenant  Greely,  Sergeant  Elison, 
Sergeant  Brainard,  Hospital  Steward  Bierderbick,  Sergeant  Fred- 
ericks, and  Private  Connell,  who  were  found  alive  in  this  wretched 
tent.  Ensign  Harlow  photographed  the  tent,  the  burying  ground 
on  the  ridge,  and  the  winter  hut  in  the  hollow  near  by. 

While  these  things  were  being  done  the  camp  and  its  surround- 
ings were  carefully  examined. 

It  was  determined  at  once  to  remove  all  the  dead  for  transporta- 
tion to  the  United  States. 

Lieiitenant  Emory,  of  the  Bear,  was  directed  to  take  such  officers 
as  he  might  deem  necessary  to  exhume  the  bodies. 

This  order  to  exhume  the  dead  included  their  removal,  with  all 
effects,  to  the  Thetis;  the  careful  examination  of  the  ice-foot  and 
vicinity  of  the  camp  for  records  and  everything  belonging  to  the 
Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition.  The  work  was  so  energetically  and 
promptly  performed  that  the  ships  were  able  to  start  for  Payer  Har- 
bor about  3.  a  m.  June  23 


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GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  45 

Some  time  after  midnight  the  surgeon  reported  the  survivors  were 
so  far  strengthened  by  stimulants  and  food  that  removal  to  the  ships 
was  begun  ;  Lieutenant  Greely,  Sergeant  Brainard,  Hospital  Steward 
Bierderbick,  and  Private  Connell  to  the  Thetis;  Sergeants  Freder- 
icks and  Elison  to  the  Bear. 

The  gale  which  had  blown  all  day  increased  to  a  hurricane  during 
the  night.  Work  with  boats,  therefore,  was  both  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous. With  much  difficulty  the  ships  were  kept  head  to  the  wind  ; 
i  hi'  frequent  squalls  often  drove  them  off,  broadside  to,  and  while 
in  such  i>osition,  without  sail,  their  rails  would  be  driven  almost  into 
the  water. 

It  was  in  such  weather  that  we  were  obliged  to  work  to  recover  the 
living  and  the  dead  ;  and  although  the  shore  was  at  times  hardly  a 
hundred  feet  away,  the  boats  would  nearly  swamp  in  traversing  that 
short  distance. 

Lieutenant  Greely's  permanent  camp,  mentioned  in  his  record  of 
October  21,  1883,  was  located  nearly  midway  between  Cocked  Hat 
Island  and  Cape  Sabine.  It  was  situated  about  seventy-five  to  one 
hundred  feet  back  from  the  beach,  on  a  slight  elevation  above  the 
water,  and  protected  by  high  mountains  to  the  southward. 

When  reached,  the  tent  was  found  blown  down,  but  was  raised  par- 
tially by  the  parties  first  reaching  it.  It  contained  all  the  survivors 
except  Long.  Soon  after  Col  well  and  his  party  reached  the  tent 
Brainard,  Bierderbick,  and  Fredericks  came  out,  and  under  their  great 
excitement  and  joy  insisted  that  they  were  strong  enough  to  walk  to 
t  he  boat.  But  a  short  time  was  needed  to  demonstrate  how  mistaken 
t  hey  were,  for  after  the  strength  gained  in  their  excitement  had  sub- 
sided all  were  carried  on  stretchers  to  the  boats,  except  Fredericks, 
who  was  assisted  by  two  strong-armed  seamen. 

Colwell  reported  to  me  on  my*  arrival  the  condition  in  which  he 
had  found  the  tent  and  the  difficulty  he  had  in  giving  food  sparingly, 
as  directed  ;  the  conversations  that  had  ensued  between  him  and 
those  rescued  ;  but  to  describe  the  impressive  scene  inside  the  raised 
tent,  on  my  arrival  with  Lieutenant  Emory  and  others,  is  not  an  easy 
task. 

Lieutenant  Greely  was  in  his  sleeping  bag,  with  his  body  slightly 
inclined  and  resting  his  head  upon  his  hand.  Notwithstanding  he 
had  been  told  who  we  were  he  appeared  dazed  and  asked  if  we  were 
not  Englishmen.  Physically  he  seemed  weakest,  except  Connell ; 
mentally,  he  appeared  more  vigorous  than  the  others  of  his  party. 
His  mind  wandered  somewhat.  His  answers  to  questions  appeared 
disconnected  and  at  times  incoherent ;  occasionally  he  would  collect 
himself,  apparently  with  some  effort,  but  would  soon  indicate  that 
his  memory  was  indistinct.  Pausing  for  a  moment,  as  if  reflecting, 
he  would  say,  "  I  am  so  glad  to  see  ypu,"  and  almost  immediately 
afterwards,  "  Those  lemons  your  wife  so  kindly  put  up  for  us,"  &c. 


46  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

He  had  lain  for  weeks  in  his  sleeping-bag,  on  account  of  gradually 
failing  strength  ;  was  unable  to  stand  alone,  and  was  almost  helpless, 
except  in  a  sitting  posture  ;  all  pain  of  hunger  had  ceased  ;  his  ap- 
pearance was  wild  ;  his  hair  was  long  and  matted ;  his  face  and 
hands  were  covered  with  sooty,  thick  dirt ;  his  form  had  wasted  al- 
most to  a  skeleton  ;  his  feet  and  joints  were  swollen  ;  his  eyes  were 
sunken,  and  his  body  scantily  covered  with  dirty  and  almost  worn- 
out  garments,  which  had  not  been  changed  for  six  or  eight  months. 

Private  Connell's  condition  when  found  was  desperate  and  critical. 
He  was  speechless  and  was  breathing  with  difficulty.  He  was  cold 
almost  to  his  waist.  His  eyes  were  fixed  and  glassy  in  appearance. 
Stimulants  were  administered  by  the  surgeons  after  their  arrival  with 
considerable  difficulty,  although  Colwell  had  ventured  to  anticipate 
them  on  account  of  his  extreme  condition.  His  heart  was  pulsating 
irregularly;  his  temperature  was  quite  low,  while  his  face  was  swollen 
beyond  recognition.  From  his  eyes  and  the  corners  of  his  mouth 
offensive  humor  was  emitting.  He  was  virtually  saved  from  the  jaws 
of  death. 

Poor  Sergeant  Elison  was  found  in  his  sleeping-bag,  in  which  he 
had  lain  helpless  for  months,  with  his  hands  and  feet  frozen  and 
sloughing  away.  His  comrades  had  secured  a  spoon  to  the  stump  of 
his  right  hand  that  he  might  feed  himself.  Otherwise  he  was  in 
better  condition  than  most  of  the  party,  from  the  fact  that  his  com- 
panions had  doled  out  to  him  from  their  scant  alloAvance  of  food  during 
the  latter  period  of  greatest  distress  on  account  of  his  complete  help- 
lessness to  add  anything  to  his  pittance  by  hunting  about  the  rocks 
for  lichens,  or  by  catching  shrimps.  He  suffered  less  waste  of  strength 
than  the  others,  and  if  the  rescue  had  been  delayed  another  forty 
hours  he  would  in  all  likelihood  have  been  the  only  one  left  to  tell 
us  the  tale. 

This  case  of  Elison,  under  the  most  desperate  circumstances,  im- 
pressed me  as  worthy  of  brave  and  generous  men  who  had  been  found 
suffering  and  dying  together. 

Sergeants  Brainard  and  Fredericks  and  Hospital  Steward  Bierder- 
bick  were  all  extremely  weak  and  unable  to  stand  without  assistance 
for  any  length  of  time.  Such  was  their  condition  that  they  no  longer 
dared  venture  away  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  camp  to  seek 
food,  nor  t  j  collect  lichens  or  catch  shrimps  upon  which  they  had  to 
depend  to  a  great  extent  to  sustain  their  lives.  Like  Greely,  they 
were  swollen,  and  beyond  recognition.  They  were  covered  with 
sooty  dirt;  had  not  changed  their  worn-out  clothes  nor  washed  for 
eight  months. 

Sergeant  Long's  office  of  hunter  for  the  starving  party  had  made 
it  necessary  to  increase  his  allowance  somewhat  over  that  of  the 
others  to  maintain  his  strength  that  he  might  continue  to  the  last  his 
battle  for  food  and  life  to  the  other  helpless  ones.     Yet,  in  his  case, 


> 
o 

.  H 

K 

C 

s 

w 
w 

r 
> 
2 

O 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  47 

the  effect  of  continued  and  anxious  effort  had  told  its  story  in  his 
wasted  form.  Shorter  and  shorter  daily  journeys  were  made  during 
the  good  weather  of  that  region,  while  in  bad  weather,  so  frequent 
there,  he  found  his  strength  unequal  to  braving  winds,  storms,  and 
cold.  Like  the  others,  he  was  giving  up  the  battle,  and  his  strength 
was  so  much  impaired  when  he  heard  the  sound  of  the  joyful  recall 
signal  whistle  o'.'  the  Thetis  that  enough  only  was  left  to  enable  him 
to  stagger  out  to  the  rocks  overlooking  Kane  Sea  to  discover  if  that 
signal  proceeded  from  ships  in  sight. 

His  first  visit  was  a  bitter  disappointment,  as  .he  saw  nothing.  A 
second  visit,  made  some  fifteen  minutes  later,  under  great  difficulties, 
brought  him  within  50  yards  of  the  Bear's  steam  cutter,  and  in  view 
of  the  relief  ships  coming  around  Cape  Sabine.  When  the  steam 
cutter  ran  into  the  beach  where  Long  was  seen  he  walked  and  rolled 
down  the  ice-covered  cliff  and  was  taken  into  the  cutter.  He  in- 
formed Lieutenant  Colwell  that  the  location  of  the  camp  was  just 
over  the  cliff,  and  that  only  seven  men  were  alive,  including  Lieuten- 
ant Greely. 

The  experience  of  the  rescued,  gained  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
long  and  desolate  winter  while  watching  their  dying  comrades  as 
one  after  another  had  passed  away  forever  from  amongst  them,  taught 
the  few  remaining  that  their  swollen  joints  and  faces  had  a  signifi- 
cance that  could  not  be  mistaken.  These  same  symgtoms  had  come 
to  all  of  those  who  were  now  dead  about  forty-eight  hours  before 
dissolution.  It  indicated  to  the  survivors  but  a  short  lease  of  life  if 
no  rescue  came,  probably  not  much  more  than  forty-eight  hours. 

During  the  last  few  months  the  rescued  party  had  survived  upon 
boiled  strips  of  seal-skin,  cut  from  their  sleeping-bags  and  clothing. 
Sh fimps  boiled  with  them  formed  a  gelatinous  mass  of  repulsive 
substance,  that  sustained  without  strengthening  them.  Supplement- 
ing this  mass  with  lichens  which  grew  about  the  rocks,  those  rescued 
managed  to  maintain  themselves  for  several  weeks,  though  when 
the  camp  was  reached  a  supply  for  some  forty-eight  hours  only  was 
found. 

About  the  camp  were  strown  various  articles  of  cast-off  clothing, 
broken  camp  equipage  of  all  sorts,  the  bow  of  a  boat  which  had  been 
used  as  fuel,  and  debris  of  all  kinds.  Each  one,  however,  had  care- 
fully wrapped  and  marked  what  valuables  remained  to  him  after 
their  desperate  struggle.  They  were  to  be  opened  by  friends  at 
home  if,  perchance,  death  should  come  before  rescue. 

The  conditions  of  the  surroundings  of  this  wretched  camp  were 
in  keeping  with  the  scenes  inside  and  about  the  tent — desperate,  des- 
olate, and  abandoned.  The  bleak  barrenness  of  the  spot,  rarely  vis- 
ited by  Arctic  fowl  or  animal ;  the  row  of  graves  on  a  little  ridge  a 
hundred  feet  away,  with  protruding  heads  and  feet  of  those  later 
buried,  were  a  sad  and  silent  witness  to  the  daily  increasing  weak- 


48  GKEELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

ness  of  the  little  band  of  siirvivors ;  the  deserted  winter  quarters  in 
the  hollow  below,  with  its  broken  wall,  invaded  by  the  water  from 
the  melting  snow  and  ice  about  it ;  the  dead  bodies  of  two  compan- 
ions stretched  out  on  the  ice-foot  that  remained ;  the  wretched  apol- 
ogy for  cooking  utensils,  improvised  by  them  in  their  sore  distress, 
hardly  deserving  the  name  ;  the  scattered  and  worn-out  clothes  and 
sleeping-bags  of  the  dead ;  the  absence  of  all  food,  save  a  few  cups 
full  of  boiled  seal-skin  scraps;  the  wild  and  weird  scene  of  snow, 
ice,  and  glaciers  overlooking  and  overhanging  this  desolate  camp, 
completed  a  picture  as  startling  as  it  was  impressive. 

It  was  more  startling  and  deeply  pathetic  than  I  had  ever  dreamed 
could  be  possible,  In  beholding  it  and  pondering  over  what  had 
taken  place  about  me,  the  suggestion  occurred  that  if  the  expedi- 
tion's service  had  demonstrated  any  one  thing  more  than  another,  it 
was  that  an  hour  had  its  value  to  at  least  one  of  the  rescued  party. 

From  this  scene  it  was  necessary  to  turn  to  the  duty  to  be  per- 
formed while  the  gale  was  still  holding  the  floe  ice  off  the  land. 
About  1  p.  m.  the  survivors  were  sufficiently  strong  to  be  carried  on 
stretchers  to  the  steam  and  other  cutters,  and  were  taken  on  board 
the  ships  during  the  fury  of  the  gale.  The  surgeons  and  myself  ac- 
companied them.  Lieutenant  Emory  was  left  on  shore  to  exhume 
the  dead  and  to  bring  off  everything  belonging  to  the  expedition 
found  in  or  around  the  camp.  I  did  not  return  to  the  camp  again. 
The  dead  were  buried  on  a  ridge  back  of  the  camp,  distant  from  it 
perhaps  fifty  yards. 

The  bodies  of  Privates  Henry  and  Schneider  were  found  on  the  ice- 
foot west  of  the  camp,  the  former  distant  about  fifty,  the  latter  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 

In  exhuming  the  bodies,  one  at  a  time  was  taken  up  and  wrapped 
in  blankets.  Tickets  or  tags  of  canvas  were  sowed  to  them,  marked 
in  the  order  of  exhuming  them,  1,  2,  3,  &c. 

Lieutenant  Emory  drew  a  plot  of  this  burying  ground,  with  the 
numbers  of  the  graves  marked  in  order  of  exhuming.  This  plot  was 
subsequently  submitted  to  Sergeant  Brainard,  who  had  superintended 
the  burials.  The  names  of  the  dead  corresponding  to  these  numbers 
were  marked  under  them.     Their  identity  was  complete. 

The  bodies  were  carefully  wrapped  up  and  stowed  in  one  of  the 
dories  on  board  the  Thetis.  They  were  covered  with  ice  and  guarded 
until  tanks  could  be  prepared  to  hold  alcohol.  This  was  done  three 
days  afterwards,  when  six  of  the  bodies  were  ti'ansf erred  to  the  Bear. 
All  the  bodies  were  then  placed  in  alcohol  in  the  tanks,  and  so  car- 
ried to  St.  John's,  Newfoundland. 

The  orders  to  Lieutenant  Emory  were  carried  out  with  such 
promptness  and  dispatch,  that  by  3  a.  m.,  June  23,  the  bodies  of  all 
the  dead,  as  well  as  all  records,  instruments,  clothing,  and  relics 
found  in  camp,  were  on  board  the  Thetis  and  Bear.     Both  ships 


o 


IT. 

X 


§ 
z 
c 


GREEEY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 


49 


then  steamed  back  to  Payer  Harbor,  in  order  to  give  officers  and 
men  a  few  hours'  sleep  and  rest  after  their  hard  work  and  exposure 
for  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours. 

Lieutenant  Greely  and  Sergeant  Brainard,  being  much  improved 
by  10  a.  m.,  of  June  23,  informed  me  officially  (the  former  referring 
me  to  his  diary  in  verification)  that  seventeen  men  of  the  Lady 
Franklin  Bay  Expedition  had  perished  by  starvation,  and  that  one 
had  been  drowned  while  out  sealing.  The  names  of  the  dead,  with 
date  of  death,  follow : 


Name. 

Date  of  death. 

Name. 

Date  of  death. 

January  18, 1884. 
April  5, 1884. 
April  6, 1884. 
April  9, 1884. 
April  9, 1884. 
April  12, 1884. 
April  24, 1884. 
May  19, 1884. 
May  23,  1884. 

May  24, 1884. 
May  27,  issi. 
June  1, 1884. 
June  3, 1884. 

Frederick  Christiansen  (Eskimo)* 
Sergeant  Linn  . .   

Sergeant  Israel 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury 

June  0,  1884. 

June  6, 1884. 

June  6,  1884. 

June  12, 1884. 

June  18, 1884. 

*  Buried  at  Godhaven,  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  the  Inspector  of  North  Greenland. 

The  bodies  of  all  the  dead  were  recovered  except  that  of  Jens 
Edward,  Eskimo,  who  was  drowned  while  sealing,  and  those  of  Ser- 
geant Rice,  Corporal  Salor,  Private  Bender,  Sergeant  Gardiner, 
and  Doctor  Pavy.  These  bodies,  having  been  buried  in  the  ice-foot, 
were  swept  away  by  winds  and  tides  before  my  arrival.  No  trace 
of  them  could  be  discovered,  although  the  vicinity  was  carefully 
searched. 

At  11  a.  m.,  June  23,  I  sent  Lieutenant  Emory,  with  the  Bear, 
back  to  the  wreck  camp.  Lieutenant  Sebree,  Chief  Engineer  Mel- 
ville, and  a  number  of  men  from  the  Thetis  were  detailed  to  accom- 
pany him  in  order  to  make  another  search  more  extended  than  that 
of  the  preceding  day,  and  to  include  the  coast  from  the  ice  limit, 
half  mile  west  of  the  camp,  up  to  Cape  Sabine.  This  search  lasted 
several  hours,  but  added  nothing  td  that  made  the  previous  day. 
During  the  Bear's  absence  Lieutenant  Greely's  records  and  the 
standard  pendulum  were  brought  to  the  Thetis  from  Stalknecht 
Island. 

About  5  p.  m.  the  Bear  returned  to  Payer  Harbor.  She  barely 
escaped  the  crush  of  ice  against  the  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape 
Sabine.  The  wind  having  slacked  up,  the  ice  in  Kane  Sea  moved 
to  the  southward. 

After  the  Bear's  return  both  ships  sailed  from  Payer  Harbor  to 
Littleton  Island,  passing  Baird  Inlet,  but  found  all  the  ice  swept  out 
to  sea.  We  reached  Littleton  Island  about  6.30  p.  m.,  and  trans- 
ferred six  of  the  dead  to  the  Bear,  with  instructions  to  prepare  tbem 
H.  Mis.  157 i 


50  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

for  transportation  in  alcohol  to  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland.  We 
were  driven  from  Payer  Harbor  by  the  ice  from  Kane  Sea  setting 
down  outside  the  harbor. 

The  tanks  having  been  prepared  by  June  25,  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
were  transferred  to  them.  Dr.'  Green,  Chief  Engineer  Melville,  and 
Ensign  Harlow,  of  the  Thetis;  Dr.  Ames,  Lieutenant  Crosby,  and 
Lieutenant  Colwell,  of  the  Bear,  prepared  the  bodies  in  the  following 
manner:  From  each  body  the  clothing  was  removed.  It  was  then 
wrapped  in  strips  of  cotton  cloth  from  head  to  foot,  backwards  and 
forwards  several  times.  Cotton  sheeting  was  then  used  to  cover  the 
whole,  cut  to  fit  the  form  of  the  body.  Wrapped  in  this  way,  the 
body  was  placed  in  the  tanks  and  secured  against  movement  when 
ramming  ice  or  when  rolling  in  the  passage  after  leaving  the  ice. 
This  arrangement  was  temporary,  and  would  not  answer  when  mak- 
ing the  passage  beyond  St.  John's,  Newfoundland. 

In  preparing  the  bodies  of  the  dead  for  transportation  in  alcohol 
to  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  it  was  found  that  six  of  them  (Lieu- 
tenant Kislingbury,  Sergeants  Jewell  and  Ralston,  Privates  Whist- 
ler, Henry,  and  Ellis)  had  been  cut  and  the  fleshy  parts  removed  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent  with  a  view  no  doubt  to  use  as  shrimp  bait. 
All  other  bodies  were  found  intact. 

When  the  bodies  of  the  dead  were  exposed  in  preparing  them  their 
identification  was  found  to  be  complete.  Some  of  them  could  be 
recognized  by  aid  of  a  picture  taken  with  us  from  home.  Others, 
whose  features  had  decayed,  were  identified  by  other  characteristics. 
I  am,  therefore,  satisfied  that  no  mistake  was  made  in  this  impor- 
tant matter,  which  so  impressed  us  from  the  beginning. 

Both  ships  remained  at  Littleton  Island  until  5.55  a.  m.,  June  24, 
to  deposit  a  record  in  the  Nares  cairn  for  Commander  Coffin,  inform- 
ing him  of  the  restilt  of  the  expedition,  and  ordering  him  to  Uper- 
navik  or  Disco,  where  the  Thetis  and  Bear  were  to  await  his  arrival. 
This  concluded,  and  the  wind  having  hauled  to  the  northward,  send- 
ing the  ice  down  upon  the  ships,  we  steamed  to  Foulke  Fiord,  until 
the  ice,  moving  down  Smith's  Sound,  obliged  us  to  move  southward, 
to  avoid  being  caught  in  the  pack. 

At  2. 35  p.  m.  both  ships  started  southward  towards  Northumber- 
land Island,  and  meeting  very  heavy  ice  we  attempted  to  reach  a 
position  on  its  northern  side,  but  to  do  so  we  were  obliged  to  pass 
through  a  field  of  icebergs  for  twenty-four  miles,  packed  closely  to- 
gether. The  difficulties  of  navigating  in  this  mass  of  ice  were  much 
increased  by  dense  fog  and  snow.  Continuing  onward,  however, 
we  arrived  about  11.25  p.  m.,  but  were  beset  for  the  remainder  of 
that  night  in  the  heavy  pack  between  Northumberland  and  Hakluyt 
Islands. 

The  following  morning,  June  25,  at  10  a.  m.,  the  ice  opened  some- 
what, with  water  spaces  here  and  there.     Both  ships  then  succeeded 


> 


» 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


51 


in  working  out  of  this  heavy  ice  pack  around  the  north  side  of  Hak- 
luyt  Islands,  into  a  small  space  of  open  water  on  its  southwest  side. 
Here  we  were  detained  until  3.30  p.  m.  before  the  ice  permitted  us  to 
ram  our  way  into  open  water,  under  the  south  side  of  Northumber- 
land Island,  where  we  arrived  about  5.30  p.  m.,  when  both  ships 
came  to  anchor  on  the  edge  of  a  large  floe  piece.  All  leads  were 
closed  to  the  southward  across  Whale  Sound.  This  position  was 
much  exposed  and  the  ships  in  much  danger  should  any  northerly 
movement  of  the  tide  set  the  heavy  floes  against  the  south  side  of 
Northumberland  Island.  The  utmost  vigilance  was  necessary  to  de- 
tect the  slightest  opening  in  the  ice  across  Whale  Sound  to  effect  es- 
cape into  more  open  water  and  to  a  less  exposed  situation.  At  7.30 
p.  m.  the  tide  changed,  and  fortunately  there  was  but  little  wind. 
The  opening,  as  expected,  began  at  this  time,  and  both  ships  were 
pushed  into  a  lead  near  by,  though  it  required  some  heavy  ramming 
for  a  distance  of  6  miles  to  reach  the  open  water  that  had  made  with 
the  change  of  tide  under  the  land  in  the  direction  of  Cape  Parry, 
where  both  ships  arrived  about  midnight. 

A  cairn  was  erected  on  the  top  of  Cape  Parry,  in  the  most  promi- 
nent position  to  be  seen  in  passing  north  or  south.  Orders  and  news 
were  left  in  this  cairn  for  Commander  Coffin. 

At  3  a.  m.,  June  26,  got  under  way  and  steamed  towards  Wolsten- 
holm  Island  through  a  narrow  lead.  At  a  point  near  that  island  we 
fell  in  with  the  Dundee  whalers  Jaen  Maen,  Esquimaux,  Gorn- 
wallis,  Narwhal,  Triune,  Nova  Zembla,  and  Polynia,  and  an- 
nounced to  most  of  them  the  news  of  the  rescue  of  Lieutenant  Greely 
and  six  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition.  This  was  done  in 
order  that  they  might  not  continue  on  into  the  dangers  of  Smith's 
Sound  or  be  led  farther  north,  if  they  had  so  intended,  in  view  of 
the  reward  offered  by  Congress  for  the  rescue  of  Lieutenant  Greely 
and  his  comrades.  This  was  eight  days  after  we  had  passed  Cape 
York. 

In  connection  with  these  splendid  sailors  of  the  Dundee  fleet  I 
would  state  to  the  Department  that  they  were  most  cordial  to  me 
during  the  interval  of  time  when  the  ice  conditions  of  Melville  Bay 
kept  us  together.  From  them  a  vast  amount  of  useful  information 
touching  the  navigation  of  this  region  was  obtained,  which  aided 
greatly,  and  increased  my  confidence  much,  in  pushing  the  expedi- 
tion into  the  perils  of  Melville  Bay  at  that  early  period  of  a  very 
close  and  unfavorable  season.  At  both  Disco  and  Upernavik  the 
governors  informed  me  that  the  season  was  the  closest  and  severest 
for  thirty  years. 

In  their  behalf  I  am  glad  to  say  that  their  appreciation  of  the  deso- 
late situation  of  Lieutenant  Greely  and  his  party  in  the  Arctic  regions 
inspired  them,  as  it  did  txs,  with  a  determination  to  assume  any  risk 
necessary  to  reach  the  imperiled  party.     If  the  expedition  had  met 


52  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

with  accident  some  of  these  noble  men  would  have  reached  Greely, 
though,  as  the  sequel  has  demonstrated,  too  late  to  have  saved  the 
few  survivors  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  reach  in  time. 

Continuing  onward  we  reached  the  land  ice  near  Saunders  Island 
about  9  a.  m. ,  June  26,  and  both  ships  were  secured  to  it  with  ice 
anchors.  On  account  of  a  very  low  barometer,  29.10  inches,  and 
strong  northerly  wind  then  blowing,  I  remained  at  this  point  until 
7.30  p.  m.  in  order  to  avoid  being  caught  in  a  more  exposed  position 
in  the  heavy  ice  floes  south  of  it. 

Notwithstanding  this  low  barometer  the  weather  continued  fine. 
Another  move  was  made  towards  Conical  Rock  and  Cape  York.  Very 
heavy  ice  was  met  in  passing  Cape  Athol  and  the  Petowik  Glacier. 
Towards  midnight  of  the  same  day  the  wind  hauled  suddenly  to  the 
southwest  and  packed  the  ice  so  densely  that  it  was  found  impossible 
to  reach  Conical  Rock.  Both  ships  were,  therefore,  secured  under 
the  lee  of  small  bergs.  Securing  this  ship  in  a  strong  tideway  she 
collided  with  a  berg  and  lost  a  part  of  her  head  booms. 

At  3.30  a.  m.,  June  27,  the  iceberg  to  which  the  Thetis  was  fast 
pivoted  round  and  exposed  the  ship  to  very  heavy  floe  ice  driven  by 
wind  and  tide  up  Smith's  Sound. 

As  the  Bear  appeared  to  be  more  secure  under  the  lee  of  a  stSadier 
berg  the  Thetis  steamed  over  and  sent  a  line  to  her  to  hold  on  by. 
The  wind  freshened  up  and  her  ice  anchors  slipped,  so  that  both 
ships  were  obliged  to  keep  under  way  during  the  rest  of  the  night, 
holding  the  largest  open  water  space  available  until  a  favorable  lead 
opened  toward  Conical  Rock  about  4.30  a.  m.  Steaming  through 
this  lead  Interpreter  Hans  Hansen,  Eskimo,  of  the  Bear,  bounded 
over  the  rail  and  attempted  to  reach  the  Petowik  Glacier  by  cross- 
ing over  the  ice  floes.  After  an  exciting  race  to  cut  him  off  we  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  him  an  hour  afterwards.  It  was  discovered  that 
he  was  somewhat  out  of  his  mind.  He  was  landed  and  discharged 
at  Upernavik  at  the  request  of  Governor  Elberg. 

Conical  Rock  was  reached  at  7  a.  m.,  and  both  ships  were  secured 
to  grounded  bergs  on  its  north  side.  Ordei's  and  news  of  Lieutenant 
Greely's  rescue  were  left  for  Commander  Coffin  in  the  cairn  we  had 
built  in  going  north. 

By  9  a.  m.  the  weather  had  so  much  improved  that  both  ships  got 
under  way  and  steamed  through  tortuous  leads,  ramming  their  way 
in  a  number  of  instances  through  the  pack  ice  nearly  up  to  Cape 
York,  when  dense  fog,  with  occasional  snow,  set  in. 

Abreast,  and  to  the  westward,  of  Cape  York  a  formidable  ice  bar- 
rier was  met,  which  forced  the  ships  to  the  westward  about  18 
miles,  in  order  to  gain  more  advantageous  leads.  During  this  de- 
tour, in  foggy  weather  and  in  snow  squalls,  it  was  often  almost  im- 
possible to  distinguish  leads,  but  after  some  hours  of  anxious  work 


■■•-•-:  .  it-  ?  -  --:,■■■  -  ~  ---■  - 


Commander  G.  W.  COFFIN,  U.  S.  N.,  Commander  oe  the  Alert. 


GSREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  53 

■we  succeeded  in  working  our  way  back  into  open  water  to  the  east- 
ward of  Cape  York,  near  the  Bushnan  Islands.  The  Thetis  during 
the  fog  brought  up  solidly  at  10  p.  m.  against  the  land  ice  in  a  bight, 
and  ran  half  her  length  on  to  the  ice. 

As  no  advantage  was  to  be  gained  by  searching  for  favorable  leads 
in  such  weather,  both  ships  were  secured  to  the  land  ice  to  await  the 
clearing  up.  Surgeon  Green  reported  to  me  that  Elison's  mental 
condition  was  unfavorable  and  gave  him  serious  apprehensions. 

During  the  night  the  wind  hauled  to  the  eastward,  though  very 
light.  The  weather  cleared  sufficiently  by  9  a.  m. ,  June  28,  to  en- 
able us  to  see  open  water  to  the  southward  of  our  position  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  grounded  McClintock  bergs,  which  lie  some  30  miles 
southeast  of  Cape  York.  Both  ships  got  under  way  and  steamed  to 
the  southward,  but  changing  tide  and  freshening  wind  from  south- 
ward obliged  me  to  secure  both  ships,  at  1  p.  m. ,  to  the  land  ice  be- 
tween two  enormous  icebergs  to  await  a  favorable  opening  in  the 
ice.  We  were  detained  at  this  point  until  7  a.  m. ,  of  June  29,  before 
the  wind  had  died  away  sufficiently  to  allow  the  ice  to  slack.  Both 
ships  then  got  under  way  and  were  driven  eastward  under  full  speed, 
in  order  to  gain  every  inch,  for  it  was  evident  that  unless  the  utmost 
vigilance  was  maintained,  to  take  advantage  of  every  favorable 
condition,  we  should  have  to  encounter  the  same  difficulties,  the  same 
anxieties,  and  the  same  perils  in  recrossing  Melville  Bay  that  had 
been  encountered  in  working  north.  At  a  number  of  points  where 
it  was  important  to  break  through  into  the  open  water  along  the  land 
ice  the  ships  were  driven  at  high  speed,  and  in  every  instance  suc- 
ceeded, though  it  demanded  much  caution  to  avoid  serious  injury. 
At  11  p.  m.  we  had  gained  about  80  miles  to  the  eastward,  and,  find- 
ing all  leads  to  the  southward  closed,  both  ships  were  secured  to  the 
land  ice  in  a  narrow  canal  of  open  water,  which  the  closing  floes  had 
left  as  a  dock.  Before  securing  them  for  the  night  it  was  attempted 
with  the  Thetis  to  ram  a  way  out  at  full  speed,  but  the  ship  came 
lip  solidly  as  against  a  wall  of  granite  and  knocked  down  every  one 
about  decks.  I  was  nearly  thrown  from  the  "crow's  nest"  by  the 
shock,  The  ship  rebounded  some  twenty  feet.  The  barrier  was 
found  to  be  impassable. 

The  wind  being  light  from  the  westward  and  hauling  to  the  east- 
ward, at  3.30  a.  m.,  June  30,  both  ships  got  under  way  again  and 
steameO  through  an  open  lead  for  a  distance  of  five  or  six  miles, 
passing  scores  of  enormous  icebergs.  Some  heavier  ice  was  fallen 
in  with  and  both  ships  were  obliged,  at  intervals,  to  ram  their  way 
from  lead  to  lead.  Working  thus  until  about  10  a.  m.,  amid  heavy 
floe  ice  and  pieces  of  broken  icebergs,  the  Thetis  was  beset  near  a 
cluster  of  icebergs.  Attempting  to  free  her  by  backing  to  gain  more 
room  to  charge  the  floes  ahead,  her  injured  rudder-head  was  twisted 


54  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

off  by  collision  with  smaller  floes  closing  in  astern  of  the  ship. 
This  new  damage  was  repaired  in  about  two  hours  by  Lieutenant 
Sebree,  and  both  ships  continued  their  way  towards  the  Devil's 
Thumb  and  the  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain,  prominent  points  of  depart- 
ure in  crossing  Melville  Bay.  Near  the  latter  point  the  Alert  and 
Loch  Garry  were  fallen  in  with  about,  7.  30  p.  m.,  beset  in  the  ice 
pack.  The  Thetis  and  Bear  broke  their  way  up  and  released  them. 
Orders  were  given  Commander  Coffin  and  Ensign  Chambers,  of  the 
Loch  Garry,  to  follow  the  Thetis  and  Bear,  in  line  ahead.  By  9 
p.  m.  all  leads  to  the  southward  had  closed  up  under  the  influence 
of  the  flood  tide  and  a  southerly  wind.  Dense  fog  soon  obliged  all 
vessels  to  come  to  with  ice  anchors  to  a  large  ice  floe  to  await  clear- 
ing weather. 

Commander  Coffin  reported  on  board  and  delivered  our  mail.  He 
informed  me  that  he  had  sailed  from  New  York  May  10,  and  had 
reached  St.  John's  May  19,  in  obedience  to  the  following  orders  : 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
Navy-Yard,  New  York,  April  30, 1884. 

Sir  :  The  Alert  being  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  expedition  of  1884  for  the  relief-  of 
Lieutenant  Greely,  at  Lady  Franklin  Bay,  you  will  take  on  board,  with  the  utmost 
dispatch,  the  stores  and  other  equipments  now  ready,  and  proceed  with  her  under 
your  command,  at  the  earliest  moment  to  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  thence  to  God- 
haven,  Upernavik,  and  Littleton  Islands,  on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland. 

Your  stay  at  St.  John's  will  be  limited  to  the  time  necessary  to  replace  the  coal 
used  in  making  the  passage,  and  to  receive  two  pairs  of  seal-skin  boots  and  one  Elsi- 
nore  car)  for  each  person  on  board ;  at  Godhaven  and  Upernavik  to  communicate 
with  the  Danish  authorities  for  information  as  to  the  movements  of  the  advance 
vessels,  and  to  procure  an  Esquimaux  interpreter,  whom  you  will  probably  find 
awaiting  your  arrival.  Thence  you  will  proceed  to  Littleton  Island,  at  the  entrance 
to  Smith's  Sound,  touching  en  route  at  Conical  Island,  Cape  Parry,  and  Cape  Alex- 
ander, where  you  will  find  cairns  erected  containing  information  for  your  guidance. 

Should  you  find,  on  your  arrival  at  Littleton  Island,  which  ought  to  be  about  the 
last  week  in  June  (if  practicable),  the  Thetis  and  Bear  absent  to  the  northward,  you 
will  organize  a  sledge  party,  consisting  of  at  least  eight  persons,  with  provisions  for 
forty  or  fifty  days,  instructing  the  officer  in  charge  to  search  the  east  coast  of  Kane 
Basin  to  the  vicinity  of  Humboldt  Glacier,  for  information  regarding  Lieutenant 
Greely  or  any  of  his  party,  and  to  return  by  September  1,  at  the  latest. 

This  done  you  will  proceed  with  the  Alert  to  Foulke  Fiord,  distant  some  4  or  5 
miles,  where  you  will  land  and  erect  the  house  provided  at  New  York  for  the  pur- 
pose, storing  in  it  all  the  provisions  possible,  leaving  in  your  vessel  only  enougli  to 
enable  you  to  reach  New  York  ;  land  about  40  tons  of  coal,  and  place  in  charge  of 
one  officer  and  two  men,  furnishing  them  with  three  guns,  2,000  rounds  of  amuni- 
tion,  one  whale  boat,  and  White's  steam  cutter,  fully  equipped. 

To  facilitate  the  erection  of  the  house  drawings  will  be  furnished  you,  in  which 
every  timber  is  marked  and  showing  how  each  is  to  be  placed,  and  to  avoid  con- 
fusion you  will  confer,  together  with  your  executive  officer  and  carpenter,  with  the 
constructor  at  the  yard  for  explanation  of  the  same. 

At  Foulke  Fiord  you  will  probably  find  a  transport  coal  steamer ;  from  her  you 
will  take  what  coal  may  remain  of  the  500  tons  carried  for  the  ships  of  the  expedi- 
tion, after  landing  the  40  tons  for  the  use  of  the  house. 


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GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  55 

This  steamer  will  have  on  board  an  officer  and  two  seamen  of  the  Navy,  and  when 
ever  in  your  judgment  it  shall  be  safest  to  do  so,  you  will  order  her  return  to  St. 
John's,  Newfoundland,  with  dispatch,  giving  written  instructions  to  the  naval  offi- 
cer on  board  to  report  his  arrival  at  that  port  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

During  your  stay  at  Foulke  Fiord,  which  should  continue  until  about  September 
10,  you  will  keep  a  vigilant  lookout  to  the  northward  for  signals  from  the  advance 
ships  :  should  nothing  be  observed  of  them  from  Littleton  Island  by  the  date  indi- 
cated, you  will  proceed  with  your  ship  to  Cape  Sabine  to  make  further  observations 
for  signals,  thence  south  to  Upemavik  or  Disco,  stopping  at  Cape  Alexander,  Cape 
Parry,  and  Conical  Island  to  leave  record  of  your  movements. 

At  Upernavik  or  Disco,  as  may  be  most  favorable,  you  will  remain  until  alxmt 
September  25  for  possible  news  from  the  advance  ships;  thence  you  will  proceed  to 
St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  reporting  your  arrival  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
making  a  detailed  report  of  all  that  concerns  your  doings  and  those  of  the  advance 
ships,  so  far  as  they  may  be  known  to  you. 

The  region  over  which  you  are  to  pass  after  leaving  the  latitude  of  Cape  Farewell 
is  not  accurately  surveyed,  so  that  its  safe  navigation  will  depend  much  upon  your 
judgment  and  vigilance  ;  should  your  cruise,  therefore,  enable  you  to  add  to  the 
accuracy  of  the  charts,  or  to  increase  our  information  as  to  its  hydrography,  it  is 
desired  that  you  will  avail  yourself  of  all  opportunity  for  doing  so. 

From  the  outset  of  your  cruise  you  will  maintain  the  strictest  vigilance  over  the 
navigation  of  your  ship,  and  you  will  prescribe  such  inspections  of  her,  day  and 
night,  as  will  guard  against  casualty  from  fire.  When  the  region  of  ice  shall  have 
been  reached,  you  will  keep  at  least  sixty  days'  rations  where  they  can  be  most 
easily  reached  in  the  event  of  a  nip  or  the  abandonment  of  the  ship. 

"Fire  quarters"  and  " abandoning  ship "  will  be  your  only  exercises,  and  they 
will  be  frequently  practiced ;  the  rubber  knapsack  provided  must  be  kept  packed 
with  a  complete  shift  of  clothes  and  kept  hanging  in  the  quarters  of  officers  and 
men,  so  as  to  be  easily  reached  in  case  of  emergency. 

It  is  hoped  that  your  departure  from  New  York  will  not  be  later  than  May  10,  in 
order  that  you  may  reach  Littleton  Island  not  later  than  June  25,  to  carry  out  the 
instructions  directed  at  that  point  and  at  Foulke  Fiord. 

Should  you  leave  the  party  at  the  depot  to  be  established  at  the  latter  place,  you 
will  direct  them  to  set  up  the  instruments  sent  you  by  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  of 
the  Army  and  to  make  the  observations  requested  by  him,  to  be  recorded  on  the 
forms  transmitted  with  the  instruments. 

The  signals  from  the  advance  ships  will  be  by  heliographic  instruments,  and  the 
code  used  in  the  Army  known  as  "  Meyer's  system''  will  be  followed. 

Direct  the  surgeon  of  your  vessel  to  take  charge  of  the  expenditure  and  account 
of  all  provisions  and  clothing  in  accordance  with  established  forms,  and  direct  him 
to  make  out  a  daily  bill  of  fare  for  officers  and  men. 

Use  the  strictest  economy  in  the  expenditure  of  coal  and  direct  your  chief  en- 
gineer to  weigh  accurately,  each  day,  the  amount  used  by  the  engine  and  by  the 
stoves. 

Money  will  be  furnished  you  before  leaving  New  York  to  defray  necessary  ex- 
penses after  sailing ;  in  all  expenditures  of  it  you  will  execute  triplicate  vouchers, 
forwarding  originals  and  duplicates  from  St.  John's  to  the  paymaster  of  the  Go  '.ct3  do 
at  New  York,  and  retain  the  triplicates  on  board.  The  commercial  code  of  signals 
will  be  used,  instead  of  the  Navy  code,  in  all  flag  signals  between  the  ships;  for  dis- 
tant signaling  the  heliographic  signals  will  be  used. 

Before  leaving  New  York  and  St.  John's  you  will  institute  a  strict  medical  ex- 
amination of  your  crew,  and  any  men  found  disqualified  will  be  returned  to  the 
receiving  ship  Colorado. 

Transmit  a  complete  muster-roll  of  your  crew,  before  sailing,  to  the  Bureau  of 


56  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

Equipment  and  Rewriting,  and  a  list  of  your  officers  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation  ; 
report  also  any  changes  which  may  take  place  in  either  at  St.  John's. 
Wishing  you  a  pleasant  cruise,  I  am, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander,  U.  S.  N., 
Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 
Commander  George  W.  Coffin, 

Commanding  U.  S.  8.  Alert, 

Creely  Relief  Expedition. 

He  had  stowed  on  the  spar  deck  of  the  Alert  the  two  houses  in- 
tended as  winter  quarters  at  Foulke  Fiord,  where  it  was  intended  to 
maintain  a  supply  of  stores  upon  which  to  fall  back  if  disaster  sh<  mid 
overtake  the  advance  ships.  Of  provisions  and  clothing  he  had  a 
full  two  years'  supply. 

The  Alert  sailed  from  St.  John's  May  22,  and  reached  Godhaven 
June  5.  having  fallen  in  with  drift  and  floe  ice  near  the  latitude  of 
Cape  Farewell.  During  this  passage  she  had  the  usual  bad  weather 
of  the  higher  latitudes,  but  was  not  delayed  by  the  ice  until  within 
4  or  5  miles  of  Godhaven,  where  it  was  met  too  thick  to  yield  to  her 
poor  ramming  power. 

While  at  Disco  Commander  Coffin  took  on  board  twenty-five  Es- 
quimaux dogs,  purchased  by  the  Inspector  in  accordance  with  Lieu- 
tenant Garlington's  order,  and  engaged  for  the  cruise  Nils  Jensen,  as 
dog  driver. 

While  at  Godhaven  the  Alert's  crew  were  exercised  at  "abandon- 
ing ship;"  on  such  occasions  every  person  was  landed  on  the  ice  and 
her  boats  hauled  out  with  thirty  days'  provisions.  Practice  was  also 
had  with  torpedoes  and  ice  tools  during  the  necessary  delay  in  this 
port  until  June  9,  when  she  got  under  way  for  Upernavik.  Finding 
the  drift  ice  from  Waigat  Straits  had  closed  the  land  water  for  a 
distance  of  12  or  15  miles  off-shore,  the  Alert  was  obliged  to  battle 
for  five  hours  with  it  to  gain  open  water. 

From  Disco  to  Upernavik  the  Alert  had  much  the  same  weather 
and  experience  as  the  Thetis  and  Bear.  Her  way  was  through  dan- 
gerous leads  and  past  heavy  icebergs;  the  difficulty  of  the  ordinary 
navigation  of  this  region  was  increased  by  fogs  and  snow  storms. 
Some  slight  changes  in  the  ice  gave  her  the  choice  of  a  route  closer 
to  the  land  beyond  Omenak  Fiord.  She  arrived  at  Upernavik  near 
midnight  June  13. 

The  Loch  Garry  was  found  at  Upernavik  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
the  Alert,  but  as  she  was  a  simple  iron  vessel  not  fitted  for  navigating 
in  heavy  ice  Commander  Coffin  was  obliged  to  delay  his  departure 
until  the  conditions  of  the  ice  north  were  more  favorable  to  the  col- 
lier's safe  passage. 

The  delay  at  Upernavik  enabled  the  Alert  to  fill  her  bunkers  and 
to  take  a  quantity  of  coal  on  her  deck  as  a  precaution  against  disaster 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  57 

to  the  collier.     Commander  Coffin  would  have  been  able  to  leave 
from  his  ship  a  full  amount  at  Foulke  Fiord  with  the  house. 

The  Alert  and  Loch  Garry  sailed  from  Upernavik  June  19,  meet- 
ing with  much  difficulty  from  heavy  ice,  but  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  Berry  Islands,  where  all  leads  had  closed.  The  larger  floes  and 
heavier  ice  obliged  them  to  come  to  with  ice  anchors  to  await  a  move- 
ment of  the  ice.  June  24  a  southwest  gale  sprang  up  and  made  it 
advisable  to  cut  a  dock  for  the  Loch  Garry  after  the  plan  of  that  de- 
scribed by  Commander  Markham. 

Two  hours  finished  the  work  and  the  docking  of  the  ships.  The 
ice  was  about  4  feet  thick. 

The  gale  ceased  June  25,  and  both  ships  took  advantage  of  the  op- 
portunity to  work  north,  following  the  inshore  leads  past  Horse's 
Head,  Cape  Shackelton,  Baffin  and  Duck  Islands  until  up  with  the 
Sugar  Loaf,  where  solid  ice  again  stopped  them.  During  the  86th 
and  27th  the  Alert  worked  continuously  day  and  night  to  gain  only 
8  miles.  She  reached  latitude  74°  30'  N.,  and  was  within  the  dan- 
gerous navigation  of  Melville  Bay. 

At  this  point  the  Thetis  and  Bear,  returning  across  Melville  Bay, 
came  up  with  the  Alert  and  Loch  Garry.  Their  movements  from 
this  point  to  Upernavik  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  Thetis  and  Bear. 

The  Alert  having  so  much  less  engine  power  than  either  of  the 
other  ships,  Commander  Coffin  was  obliged  to  resort  to  docks  to  avoid 
nips,  or  to  torpedoes  to  open  the  ice,  or  to  leave  it  when  beset.  Such 
difficulties  were  usually  rammed  by  the  Thetis  and  Bear,  with  their 
greater  power.  Commander  Coffin  was  obliged  to  move  with  gi*eater 
caution  on  account  of  the  Loch  Garry,  and  was  forced  on  sevefal  oc- 
casions to  return,  after  passing  into  leads,  to  free  the  collier  when 
caught  by  rapidly  closing  floes.  This  occasioned  him  much  anxiety 
and  was  a  cause  of  much  delay. 

Considering  the  thickness  of  the  ice  at  the  point  where  we  found 
him,  I  was  surprised  that  Commander  Coffin  had  advanced  so  far. 
The  excellent  judgment  he  displayed  in  reaching  so  advanced  a  posi- 
tion at  such  an  early  period  of  a  close  season,  delayed  as  he  was  by 
the  collier,  deserves  much  commendation. 

On  the  morning  of  July  1  the  ships  got  under  way,  Thetis  leading, 
Loch  Garry  following;  the  Bear  and  Alert  in  line  astern,  to  follow 
a  lead  inshore  which  appeared  to  extend,  after  considerable  winding, 
as  far  as  Duck  Islands.  Numerous  icebergs  were  lying  in  our  way, 
so  close  to  each  other  that  passage  between  them  was  somewhat  diffi- 
cult and  dangerous  in  fine  weather,  but  as  a  dense  fog  shut  down  on 
us  while  working  past  them  the  speed  of  the  vessels  was  reduced  to 
about  1|  knots,  and  fog  signals  were  sounded  frequently  to  indicate 
position.  Feeling  our  way  through  this  danger,  the  ships  often  got 
into  close  proximity  to  icebergs  of  great  size  before  discovering  them, 


58  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

but  later  in  the  morning  the  squadron  came  up  to  the  edge  of  a  large 
floe  and  were  secured  to  it  with  ice  anchors  to  await  clearing  weather. 

By  4  p.  m.  the  wind  shifted  to  the  eastward  and  the  fog  lifted.  All 
conditions  being  favorable  the  ships  got  under  way  in  line,  Thetis 
leading,  the  Bear  following  to  break  through  into  leads  toward  the 
Duck  Islands.  Near  these  islands  the  Alert  and  Loch  Garry  were 
caught  by  the  floes  closing  up  rapidly  after  the  Thetis  and  Bear  had 
passed  through.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  return  several  times 
with  the  Thetis  and  Bear  to  break  again  the  floe  ice  in  order  to  re- 
lease the  other  vessels. 

These  difficulties  overcome,  the  expedition  continued  southward, 
with  occasional  interruptions,  past  the  Baffin  Islands,  Cape  Shack- 
elton,  Horse's  Head,  and  the  Wedge  Islands  off  Tassuisak.  In  the 
latter  vicinity  considerable  floe  ice  was  met,  that  gave  some  trouble 
to  work  through.  Its  character  was  found  much  changed,  however; 
the  floe  pieces  were  smaller  and  the  toughness  experienced  when 
going  north,  a  few  weeks  earlier,  had  disappeared  to  a  great  extent; 
all  of  it  yielded  to  ramming.  At  2  a.  m. ,  July  2,  the  ships  had  reached 
the  vicinity  of  the  Berry  Islands. 

As  we  were  approaching  a  region  where  hidden  dangers  abounded, 
signal  was  made  to  the  ships  to  reduce  speed  to  2  knots  per  hour  and 
to  station  extra  lookouts  for  rocks,  and  to  follow  in  wake  of  the  Thetis. 
To  avoid  these  dangers  the  commanding  officers  were  piloting  from 
the  "crows'  nests;"  the  officers  of  the  deck  kept  their  watch  in  the 
tops,  and  lookouts  were  stationed  on  the  jib-boom  ends. 

About  the  Berry  Islands,  a  very  dangerous  region  of  this  coast,  the 
ice  wfis  found  jammed  in  against  the  land,  leaving  a  narrow  lead 
among  the  rocks  off  the  island.  The  Thetis  and  the  Loch  Garry 
avoided  all  dangers;  the  Bear  (following  nearly  as  possible  in  their 
wake)  ran  upon  a  sunken  rock,  striking  on  her  keel.  She  hung  for 
a  half  hour,  until  pulled  off  by  the  Alert  and  Thetis  about  4  a.  m. 
The  Bear  sustained  but  little  injury;  her  usual  leak  was  not  increased. 
Her  commanding  and  other  officers  were  constantly  mentioned  for 
their  vigilance  and  care  of  the  ship.  The  grounding  on  this  last  occa- 
sion could  not  be  attributed  to  any  lack  of  watchfulness.  The  rock 
lay  fifteen  feet  under  water  and  must  have  been  passed  very  "close 
to  "  by  the  Thetis.  From  this  point  to  Upernavik  there  are  numerous 
unknown  rocks;  to  avoid  them  we  maintained  constant  watchfulness 
and  slow  speed.  This  whole  coast  is  unknown  and  illy  surveyed;  the 
small  scale  of  the  charts  we  had  did  not  permit  one-half  the  rocks 
which  abound  there  to  be  placed  on  them. 

Reaching  the  Brown  Islands,  north  of  Upernavik,  signal  was  made 
to  the  Alert  to  proceed  to  Disco  with  the  Loch  Garry  under  convoy, 
and  to  await  there  the  arrival  of  the  Thetis  and  Bear;  during  the 
interval  to  transfer  the  houses  from  her  deck  to  the  Loch  Garry  for 
transportation  to  St.  John's. 


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OiREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  59 

The  Thetis  and  Bear  continued  on  to  Upernavik  and  arrived  there 
about  10  a.  m.,  July  2,  anchoring  in  the  outer  harbor.  The  Bear, 
needing  most  coal,  took  on  board  the  60  tons  landed  from  the  Loch 
Garry.  During  my  stay  a  strong  gale  sprung  up  from  southwest, 
driving  both  ships  from  their  moorings;  much  anxiety  and  trouble 
was  occasioned  to  secure  them  in  the  deep  water  and  bad  anchorage 
of  the  outer  port.  The  Danish  harbor  being  filled  with  icebergs  was 
inaccessible.  During  the  gale  the  Thetis  was  secured  to  a  grounded 
iceberg,  which  later  in  the  day  capsized.  In  bringing  her  up  she  lost 
an  anchor  and  thirty  fathoms  of  chain  in  water  too  deep  to  allow 
sweeping  for  it.  The  Bear  was  driven  from  her  moorings  and  was 
exposed  to  imminent  peril.  She  was  extricated  by  great  skill  and  good 
seamanship  of  her  commanding  officer. 

At  the  request  of  Governor  Elberg,  of  Upernavik,  Hans  Hansen, 
dog  driver  of  the  Bear,  was  paid  off,  discharged,  and  landed  at  that 
place.  Most  of  the  dogs  of  the  Thetis  were  landed  at  Upernavik.  as 
they  could  not  live  in  the  warmer  climate  of  the  United  States. 

The  Bear  having  finished  coaling  by  G  p.  m.,  of  July  3,  both  ships 
got  under  way  for  Disco.  Standing  out  the  harbor  the  ships  were 
saluted  by  Governor  Elberg.  Having  no  guns  on  board  we  returned 
it  by  dipping  colors  and  sounding  whistles. 

Following  a  route  indicated  by  the  governor  to  be  clear  of  dangers 
the  Thetis  touched  a  rock ;  her  speed  was  so  slow  at  the  time  that 
she  sustained  no  injury. 

Clearing  this  harbor,  course  was  shaped  for  Disco,  in  a  wide  lead  of 
water  extending  well  off-shore.  From  Svarten  Huk  south  occasional 
floe  ice  was  met,  with  numerous  imbedded  icebergs ;  their  number 
had  not  diminished  since  our  passage  north,  but  they  were  easily 
avoided  in  the  clear  weather  we  had  going  south. 

The  ships  passed  from  dangerous  ice  regions  on  July  2.  From  the 
time  of  entering  (May  19)  until  we  left  the  ice  there  was  not  a 
moment  when  the  ships  were  out  of  danger.  The  most  unceasing 
vigilance  was  necessary  to  avoid  damage,  or  to  take  advantage  of 
opening  leads  to  advance. 

Much  of  my  time,  as  well  as  that  of  the  energetic  commanders  of 
the  other  ships,  was  spent  in  the  "crows'  nests;"  in  many  instances 
we  passed  sixteen  to  twenty  hours  in  them  on  the  lookout,  or  in  navi- 
gating leads.  The  anxiety  and  great  responsibility  of  this  period 
cannot  be  understood  properly  without  experience  in  these  danger- 
ous regions.  The  labor  and  anxiety  would  almost  break  one  down, 
but  it  was  never  forgotten  that  Greely  and  his  party  were  in  peril. 
The  confidence  of  our  countrymen,  the  remembrance  of  their  God- 
speed, and  the  interest  you  took  in  the  expedition  encouraged  us 
when  difficulties  increased.  The  struggle  with  ice  from  3  to  7  feet 
thick  was  constant  and  furious  for   1.300  miles  to  reach  and  rescue 


GO  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

the  survivors  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition  and  to  bring 
them  home. 

After  passing  the  Waigat  Straits  the  wind,  which  had  been  north- 
erly, hauled  to  southwest  and  increased  on  July  4  to  a  moderate  gale, 
with  snow  during  most  of  the  day. 

At  12  m.  the  national  colors  were  displayed  at  the  peak  and  mast- 
head of  both  ships  for  one  hour  in  celebration  of  our  Independence 
Day. 

We  reached  Godhaven  at  3.35  a.  m.  July  5,  and  found  the  Alert 
and  Loch  Garry  in  port.  The  latter  vessel  was  hauled  alongside  the 
Thetis,  and  about  70  tons  of  coal  were  hoisted  on  board.  A  similar 
amount  was  taken  by  the  Bear.  Soon  after  our  arrival  Surgeon 
Green  reported  that  Ellison's  condition  was  extremely  critical,  and 
that  his  only  chance  lay  in  amputation  of  his  frozen  limbs,  which 
was  soon  after  performed.  His  system  being  too  much  depleted  by 
exposure  and  hardships  of  the  three  past  years,  he  died  at  3.30  a.  m. 
of  the  8th,  apparently  without  suffering. 

The  rudder  of  the  Thetis,  which  had  been  damaged  in  the  ice 
crossing  Melville  Bay,  was  unshipped  and  the  spare  rudder  shipped 
in  two  hours.     Its  condition  was  too  uncertain  to  venture  outside. 

The  civil  authorities  were  called  upon  and  their  views  requested 
as  to  the  disposition  of  the  remains  of  Frederick  Christiansen,  Es- 
kimo, one  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition,  who  perished  at 
Cape  Sabine.  Inspector  Anderson  officially  requested  the  burial  of 
the  remains  in  their  cemetery  at  Godhaven.  The  body  being  on 
board  the  Bear,  Lieutenant  Emory  was  directed  to  have  a  casket 
made  for  the  remains.  At  3  p.  m.  July  7  the  remains  were  landed 
and  conveyed  to  the  little  chapel  by  six  seamen  of  the  Thetis,  Bear, 
and  Alert,  and  followed  by  nine  officers  and  sixteen  men.  The  re- 
mains were  received  by  the  inspector  and  governor  at  the  chapel ; 
services  were  performed  over  them  by  a  native  minister,  after  which 
they  were  carried  to  their  little  cemetery  and  laid  away  in  peace  for- 
ever. 

Dui-ing  our  stay  in  Greenland  we  were  assisted  in  every  way  by 
the  inspector  of  North  Greenland  and  the  governors  of  Godhaven, 
Upernavik,  and  Tassuisak.  These  gentlemen  were  unremitting  in 
their  politeness  and  assistance  to  the  expedition.  Inspector  Ander- 
son informed  me  that  the  detention  of  the  Danish  supply  vessel  be- 
yond her  usual  time  of  arrival  had  reduced  their  supply  of  food  so 
much  that  he  was  afraid  they  would  be  in  want  before  her  arrival. 
Under  these  circumstances  I  directed  Lieutenant  Emory  to  land 
some  two  hundred  rations  of  bread,  meat,  and  soups. 

The  engine  of  the  Alert  needing  some  repairs,  the  expedition  was 
detained  at  Godhaven  until  6.30  a.  m.  July  9,  when  we  sailed  for 
St.  John's,  the  Alert  in  tow  of  the  Loch  (lurry. 

Excellent  weather  was  experienced,  and  but  little  ice  was  fallen 


GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  61 

in  with  for  several  days,  but  when  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Funk  Isl- 
ands, on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  north  of  St.  John's,  a  fresh  southeast 
gale  sprung  up  and  continued  during  the  night  of  July  15,  with  thick 
fog  and  quite  a  heavy  sea. 

The  Loch  Garry  labored  so  much  during  the  morning  with  the 
increasing  sea,  she  cast  off  the  Alert  and  took  position  astern  of 
Thetis,  six  cables  distant ;  the  other  ships  keeping  in  position  on 
starboard  and  port  quarters,  three  cables  distant. 

The  wind  and  sea  increased  very  much  during  the  night,  and  our 
position  under  these  circumstances  being  somewhat  nearer  to  the 
Funk  Islands  than  was  prudent,  the  course  was  changed  more  off- 
shore and  speed  reduced  to  two  knots,  to  enable  the  Alert  to  main- 
tain her  position.  At  2.30  a.  m.  her  lights  were  lost  sight  of  in  the 
thick  fog ;  when  daylight  came,  nothing  could  be  seen  of  her.  The 
three  ships  stood  on  under  low  speed  for  the  appointed  rendezvous, 
25  miles  northeast  of  Cape  Spear,  but,  thick  weather  continuing,  it 
was  deemed  useless  to  remain  there ;  accordingly,  course  was  shaped 
for  St.  John's,  where  the  Thetis,  Bear,  and  Loch  Garry  arrived  at 
9  a.  m.  July  17.     The  following  telegram  was  sent  to  you  : 

[Telegram.] 

St.  John's,  N.  F.,  J\dy  17,  1884. 
Hon.  W.  E.  Chandler, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Thetis,  Bear,  and  Loch  Garry  arrived  here  to-day  from  West  Greenland,  all  well, 
separated  in  gale  from  Alert  yesterday  150  miles  north.  .At  10  p.  m.  June  23,  five 
miles  west  of  Cape  Sabine,  in  Smith's  Sound,  Thetis  and  Bear  rescued  alive  Lieut. 
A.  W.  Greely,  Sergeant  Brainard,  Sergeant  Fredericks,  Sergeant  Long,  Hospital 
Steward  Bierderbick,  Sergeant  Elison,  and  Private  Connell,  the  only  survivors  of 
the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition. 

Sergeant  Elison  had  lost  both  hands  and  feet  by  frost  bite  and  died  at  Godhaven 
July  8,  three  days  after  amputation,  which  had  become  imperative.  Seventeen  of 
the  twenty-five  persons  composing  the  expedition  perished  by  starvation  at  the 
point  where  found;  one  was  drowned  while  sealing  to  procure  food;  twelve  bodies 
of  the  dead  were  recovered  and  are  now  on  board  Thetis  and  Bear.  One  Eskimo, 
Frederick,  was  buried  at  Disco,  in  accordance  with  desire  of  the  inspector  of  North 
Greenland.  Five  bodies  buried  in  ice-foot  near  the  camp  were  swept  away  to  sea 
by  winds  and  currents  before  my  arrival  and  could  not  be  recovered.  Names  of 
dead  recovered,  with  date  of  death,  follows :  Sergeant  Cross,  January  18,  1884 ; 
Frederick,  Eskimo,  April  5;  Sergeant  Linn,  April  6;  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  April 
9;  Sergeant  Jewell,  April  12;  Private  Ellis,  May  19;  Sergeant  Ralston,  May  23;  Pri- 
vate Whisler,  May  24;  Sergeant  Israel,  May  27;  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  June  1; 
Private  Henry,  June  6;  Private  Schneider,  June  18.  Names  of  dead  buried  in  the  ice- 
foot, with  date  of  death  whose  bodies  were  not  recovered,  follows :  Sergeant  Rice, 
April  9, 1884;  Corporal  Salor,  June  3;  Private  Bender,  June  6;  Acting  Assistant  Sur- 
geon Pavy,  June  6;  Sergeant  Gardiner,  June  12;  drowned  by  breaking  through  newly 
formed  ice,  while  sealing,  Jens  Edwards,  Eskimo,  Apr-1  24.  I  would  urgently  sug- 
gest that  bodies  now  on  board  be  placed  in  metallic  cases  here  for  safer  and  better 
transportation  in  a  sea-way  ;  this  appears  to  me  imperative. 

Greely  abandoned  Fort  Conger  August  9,  1883,  reached  Baird  Inlet  September 
29,  following,  with  party  all  well.     Abandoned  all  his  boats  and  was  adrift  for  thirty 


62  GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION. 

days  on  ice  floe  in  Smith's  Sound .    His  permanent  camp  was  established  October 
21,  1883,  at  point  where  he  was  found. 

During  nine  months  this  party  had  to  live  upon  a  scant  allowance  of  food  brought 
from  Fort  Conger  ;  that  cached  at  Payer  Harbor  and  Cape  Isabella  by  Sir  George 
Nares  in  1875,  but  found  much  damaged  by  lapse  of  time  ;  that  cached  by  Beebe  at 
Cape  Sabine  in  1882,  and  the  small  amount  saved  from  the  wreck  of  Proteus  in 
1883,  and  landed  by  Lieutenants  Garlington  and  Colwell  on  beach  where  Greely's 
party  was  found  camped.  When  these  provisions  were  consumed  the  party  was 
forced  to  live  upon  boiled  seal-skin  strips  cut  from  their  seal-skin  clothing,  lichens 
and  shrimps  procured  in  good  weather  when  they  were  strong  enough  to  make  exer- 
tion. As  1 .300  shrimps  were  required  to  fill  a  gill  measure,  the  labor  was  too  ex- 
hausting to  depend  upon  them  to  sustain  life  entirely. 

Channel  between  Cape  Sabine  and  Littleton  Island  did  not  close,  on  account  of 
violent  gales,  all  winter,  so  that  240  rations  at  latter  point  could  not  be  reached. 
All  Greely's  records  and  all  instruments  brought  by  him  from  Fort  Conger  are  re- 
covered and  on  board. 

From  Hare  Island  to  Smith's  Sound  I  had  a  constant  and  furious  struggle  with 
ice.  Impassable  floes  and  solid  barriers  were  overcome  by  watchfulness  and  pa- 
tience, no  opportunity  to  advance  a  mile  escaped  me,  and  for  several  hundred  miles 
the  ships  were  forced  to  ram  their  way  from  lead  to  lead  through  ice  ranging  in 
thickne  s  from  three  to  seven  feet,  and  where  rafted  much  greater. 

Thetis  and  Bear  reached  Cape  York  June  18,  after  passage  of  twenty-one  days 
n  Melville  Bay,  with  two  advance  ships  of  the  Dundee  whaling  fleet,  and  continued 
to  Cape  Sabine.  Returning  seven  days  later  fell  in  with  seven  others  of  the  fleet 
oil  Wolstenholm  Island  and  announced  Greely's  rescue  to  them,  that  they  might 
not  be  delayed  from  their  fishing  grounds  nor  be  tempted  into  the  dangers  of  Smith's 
Sound  in  view  of  the  reward  of  $25,000  offered  by  Congress. 

Returning  across  Melville  Bay  fell  in  with  the  Alert  and  Loch  Garry  off  Devil's 
Thumb,  struggling  through  heavy  ice.  Commander  Coffin  did  admirably  to  get 
along  so  far  with  transport  in  the  season  before  an  opening  had  occurred.  Lieuten- 
ant Emory,  with  the  Bear,  has  supported  me  throughout  with  great  skillfulness  and 
unflinching  readiness  in  accomplishing  the  great  duty  of  relieving  Greely.  I  would 
ask  instructions  about  Loch  Garry,  as  the  charter-party  held  by  her  master  differs 
in  several  important  particulars  from  mine. 

Greely  party  are  much  improved  in  health  since  rescue,  but  was  critical  in  ex- 
treme when  found  and  for  several  days  after.  Forty-eight  boors  delay  in  reaching 
thein  would  have  been  fatal  to  all  now  living.  Season  north  is  late  and  closest  for 
years.  Smith's  Sound  was  not  open  when  I  left  tape  Sabine.  Winter  about  Mel- 
ville Bay  most  severe  for  thirty  years. 

This  great  result  is  entirely  due  to  the  prompt  action  and  unwearied  energy  of 
yourself  and  Secretary  of  War  in  fitting  this  expedition  for  the  work  it  has  had 
the  honor  to  accomplish. 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander. 

Your  reply  with  that  of  the  Acting  Secretary,  Rear  Admiral 
Nichols,  as  follows,  were  received  and  read  to  the  officers  and  crew 
at  muster  •• 

[Telegram.] 

West  Point,  N.  Y.,  July  17,  1884. 
Commander  W.  S.  Schley: 

Receive  my  congratulations  and  thanks  for  yourself  and  your  whole  command 
for  your  prudence,  perseverance,  and  courage  in  reaching  our  dead  and  dying  coun- 
trymen.   The  hearts  of  the  American  people  go  out  with  great  affection  to  Lieuten- 


X 


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0>  -  «•  z 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  63 

ant  Greely  and  the  few  survivors  of  his  deadly  peril.    Care  for  them  unremittingly 

and  bid  them  be  cheerful  and  hopeful  on  account  of  what  life  yet  has  in  store  for 

them.     Preserve  tenderly  the  remains  of  the  heroic  dead;  prepare  them  according 

to  your  judgment  and  bring  them  home. 

W.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


Navy  Department, 
Washington,  D.  C,  July  17, 1884. 
Commander  Schley,  Steamer  Thetis : 

Use  your  discretion  about  care  and  transportation  of  bodies.  Report  by  wire 
when  ready  to  sail  for  New  York.  Department  sends  most  hearty  congratulations 
to  yourself,  officers,  and  men. 

E.  T.  NICHOLS, 
Acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

These  telegrams  expressing  the  Department's  approval  of,  our  ac- 
tion, the  following  general  order  was  read  on  board  each  vessel  to 
the  officers  and  crews  at  muster : 

[General  Order.] 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
St.  John's,  N.  F.,  July  19,  1884. 
The  object  for  which  this  expedition  was  fitted  out  having  been  successfully  ac- 
complished and  approved  by  the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  command- 
ing officer  avails  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  join  his  thanks,  congratulations,  and 
obligations  to  those  of  his  superiors. 

Greely's  relief  was  made  possible,  first,  by  the  promptest  activity  and  unwearied 
energy  of  the- honorable  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  honorable  Secretary  Of  War; 
secondly,  by  the  unceasing  vigilance  and  readiness  of  officers  and  men,  their  alac- 
rity in  responding  to  orders,  their  cheerfulness  at  all  times,  day  or  night,  in  the 
performance  of  the  duties  which  demanded  promptness,  endurance,  and  courage. 

My  confidence  grew  daily  in  noting  that  the  spirit  of  those  who  fitted  this  expe- 
dition had  been  caught  up  by  the  officers  and  men,  who  were  to  use  it  to  accomplish 
its  important  duty. 
Commanding  officers  will  please  read  this  at  general  muster. 

W.  S.  SCHLEY, 
Commander,  Commanding. 

The  Alert  arrived  at  6  p.  m.,  July  18.  The  following  telegram  was 
received  from  Rear- Admiral  Nichols,  Acting  Secretary,  July  19,  re- 
garding movements  of  steamer  Loch  Garry: 

[Telegram.] 

Washington,  D.  C,  July  19,  1884. 
Commander  Schley,  St.  John's,  Newfoundland  : 
Owners  of  Loch  Garry  are  willing  she  should  be  delivered  at  New  York. 
As  soon  as«you  have  taken  out  all  coal,  you  will  dispatch  her  at  once  to  the  navy- 
yard,  New  York,  with  lumber  and  house  on  board.    If  you  deem  it  advisable,  send 
another  officer  in  her ;  time  is  an  important  element. 

NICHOLS,  Acting  Secretary. 

In  obedience  to  which  she  was  dispatched  to  New  York  at  12  m.. 
July  31.     Ensign  Chambers,  who  was  placed  on  board  her  to  rep- 


(J4  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

resent  the  Government  interests  throughout  her  employment,  was 
instructed  to  report  her  arrival  to  the  commandant  of  the  New  York 
navy-yard. 

The  great  change  of  temperature,  and  the  possibility  of  bad 
weather  from  St.  John's,  suggested  the  importance  of  transporting 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  in  metallic  cases.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  your 
authority  was  received  the  caskets  were  ordered  and  made  of  boiler- 
iron  with  air-tight  tops,  fitted  with  handles,  painted  black,  and  each 
surmounted  by  a  silver  plate,  bearing  the  name  and  date  of  death  of 
the  body  inclosed. 

The  week  of  rest,  occasioned  by  the  delay  in  making  these  burial 
cases,  was  most  grateful  to  officers  and  men  of  the  expedition  after 
their  hard  work  and  exposure  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

Dining  our  stay  at  St.  John's  we  were  the  recipients  of  much  cour- 
tesy and  attention  from  the  Queen's  representatives,  Sir  John  and 
Lady  Glover,  as  well  as  from  other  distinguished  residents  of  the  city. 

I  would  refer  with  much  pleasure  to  the  valuable  assistance  and 
attention  of  Mr.  Thomas  N.  Molloy,  the  United  States  consul  at  St. 
John's  ;  he  was  always  energetic  and  untiring  in  furthering  the  in- 
terests of  the  expedition ;  his  acquaintance  with  the  requirements  of 
Arctic  expeditions  gave  him  great  advantage  in  assisting  us. 

The  dogs  which  he  obtained  for  the  expedition  were  generally  fine 
animals. 

The  caskets  having  been  delivered  on  the  afternoon  of  July  25, 
the  dead  were  transferred  to  them  at  once.  The  Thetis,  Bear,  and 
Alert  sailed  from  St.  John's  Saturday,  July  26,  at  10  a.  m.,  for  Ports- 
mouth, 1ST.  H.,  as  indicated  in  the  following  telegrams  : 

[Telegram.] 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  July  25, 1884. 
Commander  W.  S.  SCHLEY, 

St.  John's,  Newfoundland : 
If  possible,  name  the  day  on  the  morning  of  which  you  can  enter  Portsmouth 
Harbor;  Saturday,  August  2,  or  Monday  4,  appropriate;  answer  quick  to  me  at  Ports- 
mouth. 

W.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


[Telegram.] 

U.  S.  S.  Thetis, 
St.  John's,  N  F.,  Jidy  25,  1884. 
Hon.  W.  E.  Chandler, 

Secretary  of  tlie  Navy,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.: 
Will  sail  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m.,  and  will  reach  Portsmouth  Saturday,  Auguat  3, 
unless  detained  by  fog  or  contrary  gales.  Alert  is  so  slow  that  no  calculation  can 
be  made  upon  her  speed,  if  contrary  winds  are  met.  Will  tow  her  if  practicable. 
Dead  of  this  ship  are  now  in  their  caskets;  those  on  board  Bear  will  be  to-night,  as 
soon  as  caskets  are  delivered.  There  will  be  quite  a  demonstration  here  to-morrow 
when  we  sail.    Lieutenant  Greely's  party  much  improved. 

W.  S.  SCHLEY,  Commander. 


C 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  65 

We  were  accompanied  out  of  the  harbor  of  St.  John's  by  a  fleet  of 
steamers,  with  colors  at  half-mast,  carrying  a  large  number  of  citi- 
zens, who  adopted  this  manner  of  testifying  their  respect  for  the 
rescued,  their  appreciation  of  our  work,  and  their  sympathy  for  the 
dead. 

The  speed  of  the  vessels  was  regulated  to  reach  our  destination  on 
the  2d  of  August.  Fair  winds  and  unusually  favorable  currents,  that 
were  not  to  be  expected  at  this  season,  prevailed  throughout  the  pas- 
sage and  forced  the  ships  ahead  so  much  that  a  day  was  gained,  so 
that  we  arrived  at  9  a.  m.,  August  1,  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 

The  sailing  order  observed  was  the  same  as  that  prescribed  in 
leaving  Godhaven,  the  Thetis  leading,  with  the  Alert  and  Bear  on 
the  starboard  and  port  quarters,  distant  three  cables. 

Arriving  at  Portsmouth  the  relief  ships  were  received  by  the  North 
Atlantic  Fleet,  under  Rear- Admiral  Luce,  dressed  as  for  a  holiday. 

As  each  ship  approached  her  anchorage  she  was  received  with 
cheers  by  the  ships  of  the  fleet.  When  the  relief  ships  had  anchored 
their  commanding  officers  proceeded  on  board  the  flagship  Tennessee 
to  pay  their  respects  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  accordance  with 
Rear- Admiral  Luce's  instructions  following  : 

North  Atlantic  Station. 

OFFICIAL  MEMORANDUM  REGARDING  THE  PARTICIPATION  OF  THE  NAVAL  CONTIGENT 
IN  THE  RECEPTION  OF  THE  ARCTIC  RELIEF  SHIPS. 

(1)  One  of  the  vessels  of  this  squadron  will  be  detailed  to  cruise  off  the  mouth  of 
the  harbor  to  obtain  the  earliest  intelligence  of  the  approach  of  the  three  relief  ships, 
Tlietis,  Bear,  and  Alert. 

(2)  If  on  their  approach  their  colors  should  be  at  half-mast,  they  are  to  be  signaled 
to  masthead.  A  copy  of  this  memorandum  will  then  be  furnished  to  the  com- 
manding officers  of  each  relief  ship.  * 

(3)  The  relief  ships,  accompanied  by  the  lookout  ship,  will  enter  the  harbor  at 
11  o'clock  a.  m.,  Saturday,  August  2,  1884;  the  former  taking  up  their  berths  at 
discretion  on  the  outer  limits  of  Pepperell  Cove,  to  the  eastward  of  the  flagship,  the 
latter  taking  her  previous  berth. 

(4)  The  ships  lying  in  the  roads  will  be  dressed  with  the  national  colors  at  each 
masthead  and  Sunday  colors  at  the  peak. 

(5)  As  the  relief  ships  near  the  anchorage  the  rigging  of  all  the  ships  in  the 
roads  will  be  manned,  and  the  crew  of  each  ship  will  give  three  cheers  as  the  relief 
ships  pass. 

(6)  No  persons  will  be  allowed  to  go  on  board  the  relief  ships  except  the  relatives 
of  Lieutenant  Greely,  and  of  the  survivors  of  his  party,  until  further  notice. 

(7)  Immediately  after  anchoring  the  commanders  of  the  Tlietis,  Bear,  and  Alert 
will  repair  on  board  the  Tennessee  and  pay  then-  respects  to  the  honorable  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  and  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  North  Atlantic  Station.  The 
officers  of  the  relief  ships  will  follow  in  boats  provided  by  the  squadron. 

(8)  When  the  officers  return  to  their  ships,  the  honorable  Secretary  and  the  com- 
mander-in-chief will  visit  the  Thetis,  Bear,  and  Alert  and  inspect  them. 

(9)  After  the  visits  arrangements  will  be  completed  for  participation  in  the  parade 
and  reception  given  by  the  citizens  of  Portsmouth. 

H.  Mis.  157 5 


66  GRBELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

(10)  The  families  of  the  officers  of  the  relief  ships  will  be  received  on  board  the 

Tennessee. 

By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

S.  B.  LUCE, 

Rear- Admiral  Commanding, 

U.  S.  Naval  Forces  on  the  North  Atlantic  Station. 

U.  S.  Flagship  Tennessee, 

Portsmouth  Harbor,  July  29th,  1884. 


North  Atlantic  Station, 
U.  S.  Flagship  Tennessee  (1st  Rate), 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  August  2,  1884. 
General  Order,  ) 
(No.  4).  ] 

The  Naval  Brigade  will  land  for  parade  and  review  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  on 
Monday,  August  4,  1884. 
The  following  is  the  detail  of  officers  : 

Lieut.  Commander  B.  P.  Lamberton,  Commanding  Brigade. 
Lieut.  C.  E.  Colahan,  Adjutant. 
Passed  Assistant  Surgeon  R.  Ashbridge,  Surgeon. 
Assistant  Paymaster  J.  S.  Carpenter,  Quartermaster. 
Lieut.  R.  H.  McLean,  Aid. 
Naval  Cadet  R.  Welles,  Aid. 

Capt.  J.  M.  T.  Young,  Commanding  Marine  Battalion. 
Lieut.  R.  P.  Rodgers,  Commanding  Infantry  Battalion. 
Lieut.  T.  T.  Wood,  Commanding  Artillery  Battalion. 
First  Lieut.  M.  C.  Goodrell,  Commanding  First  Company  Marines. 
First  Lieut.  L.  J.  Gulick,  Commanding  Second  Company  Marines. 
Commanding  Third  Company  Marines. 
First  Lieut.  G.  T.  Bates,  Commanding  Fourth  Company  Marines. 
Lieut.  W.  W.  Kimball,  Commanding  First  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  J.  B.  Collins,  Commanding  Second  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  John  Downes,  Commanding  Third  Company  Seamen. 
Naval  Cadet  G.  W.  Littlehales,  Commanding  Fourth  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  S.  C.  Paine,  Commanding  Fifth  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  G.  H.  Peters,  Commanding  Sixth  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  York  Noel,  Commanding  Seventh  Company  Seamen. 
Ensign  F.  R.  Wall,  Commanding  Eighth  Company  Seamen. 
Ensign  J.  T.  Newton,  Commanding  Ninth  Company  Seamen 
Lieut.  Alfred  Reynolds,  Commanding  Tenth  Company  Seamen. 
Lieut.  R.  Wainwright,  Commanding  First  Platoon  Artillery. 
Lieut.  F.  E.  Sawyer,  Commanding  Second  Platoon  Artillery. 
Lieut.  M.  F.  Wright,  Commanding  Third  Platoon  Artillery. 
Ensign  W.  D.  Rose,  Commanding  Corps  of  Pioneers. 
Naval  Cadet  R.  H.  Orr,  in  charge  of  Band  and  Buglers. 
The  following  instructions  will  be  observed  : 

Commanding  officers  will  see  that  all  men  of  the  naval  brigade  are  ready  to 
embark  from  their  respective  ships  by  8  o'clock,  a.  m.  The  preparatory  signal  will 
be  made  at  7.45  a.  m.,  and  when  this  signal  is  made  the  landing  force  of  each  ship 
will  get  ready  to  go  on  board  the  tug  Leyden,  which  will  convey  the  brigade  to  the 
landing. 

The  Leyden  will  anchor  near  the  Tennessee,  and  the  men  be  sent  to  her  in  ship's 
boats  when  the  signal  is  niade. 


.  (11  r'k   | 


o 


WIMBB—  1... 


GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  67 

The  landing  will  be  at  Emerald's  landing,  foot  of  Daniell  street. 

The  Naval  Division  will  form  on  Congress  street,  the  right  resting  at  Pleasant  street. 

The  uniform  of  all  officers  will  be  undress,  with  helmets  and  leggings. 

The  uniform  for  the  sailors  will  be  blue,  with  mustering  frocks,  white  cap  covers, 
white  knife-laniards  and  leggings. 

Men  having  good-conduct  badges  and  medals  of  honor  will  wear  them. 

The  uniform  of  the  marines  will  be  full  dress,  with  helmets  and  chains. 

The  apothecaries  and  stretchermen  will  wear  a  Geneva  cross  on  the  left  arm. 

Neither  canteens  nor  tin  pots  will  be  carried,  and  there  will  be  no  water  carriers 
detailed. 

The  color  guard  will  be  posted  on  the  left  of  the  fifth  company. 

The  artillery  men  will  be  armed  with  cutlasses  only.  Neither  pouches  nor  spare 
article  boxes  will  be  carried.  The  slings  for  pioneer's  tools  and  implement  bags  will 
be  made  of  white  canvas. 

In  the  right  wing  of  the  battalion  the  tallest  men  will  form  on  the  right  of  com- 
panies; in  the  left  wing  they  will  form  on  the  left. 

Immediately  upon  landing,  the  marines  of  the  North  Atlantic  Squadron  will  join 
the  command  of  Colonel  Broome. 

S.  B.  LUCE, 
Rear-Admiral  Commanding, 
U.  S.  Naval  Forces  on  the  North  Atlantic  Station. 

This  pleasant  duty  performed,  the  officers  and  men  of  the  relief 
ships,  and  the  rescued  survivors,  were  the  recipients  for  several  days 
of  handsome  civic  demonstrations  and  attentions  from  the  citizens  of 
Portsmouth  and  vicinity,  and  were  given  the  freedom  of  that  city. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H. ,  Lieutenant  Greely 
and  five  other  survivors  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition  were 
transferred  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Rear  Admiral  C.  H.  Wells  at  the 
navy-yard. 

The.  Thetis,  Alert  and  Bear  sailed  from  Portsmouth  for  New 
York  at  8.20  a.  m.  Tuesday,  August  5,  in  obedience  to  your  order, 
following : 

Navy  Department, 
Washington,  Angust  5,  1884. 
Sir  :  Proceed  to  Governor's  Island,  New  York,  with  the  three  relief  ships,  arriv- 
ing Thursday  morning  about  11  o'clock. 

Deliver  the  remains  of  the  Greely  party,  as  directed  in  writing  either  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  or  Major-General  Hancock,  and  await  further  orders  at  New  York. 
'     Very  respectfully, 

W.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Secretary  of  tlie  Navy. 
Commander  W.  S.  Schley, 

Commanding  Greely  Relief  Expedition. 

During  the  passage  to  New  York  the  weather  was  densely  foggy 
up  to  Fire  Island,  and  the  navigation  very  difficult.  Passing  through 
Vineyard  Sound  we  saw  nothing  except  the  light-ships,  and  did  not 
see  the  land  after  leaving  Portsmouth  more  than  once  until  we  had 
reached  Fire  Island  light. 


68 


GREELY  RELIEF  EPPEDITION. 


We  were  delayed  on  this  accouftt  for  twenty-four  hotirs,  but 
reached  New  York  on  Friday,  August  8,  at  11  a.  m.,  and  delivered 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  at  Governor's  Island  to  Major-General  Han- 
cock, commanding  Military  Department  of  the  East.  They  were  re- 
ceived with  military  honors.  All  records,  relics,  and  effects  of  the 
living  and  the  dead  were  delivered  at  Governor's  Island  on  Satur- 
day, August  9. 

The  ships  were  taken  to  the  navy-yard  Monday,  August  11,  in 
obedience  to  your  orders,  and  the  bulk  of  their  stores  and  provisions 
landed. 

COAL  CONSUMED. 

During  the  cruise  in  the  Arctic  regions,  from  New  York  until 
their  return,  the  following  amount  of  coal  was  received  and  con- 
sumed by  each  of  the  vessels  of  the  relief  expedition  : 


Thetis. 


Bear. 


Alert. 


Received  at  New  York 

Received  after  departure 

Total 

Expended 

Total  remaining  on  board 


Tons. 
610 

220 


408 


Tons. 
425 

359 


784 
587 


197 


Tons. 
190 

240 


430 
346 


84 


The  distance  traversed  by  the  Thetis  and  Bear  was  nearly  7,000 
miles,  and  by  the  Alert  about  6,000  miles. 

The  Herreshoff  steam  cutters  supplied  to  the  Thetis  and  Bear 
proved  most  excellent  boats  in  a  sea-way.  For  the  uses  of  the  general 
cruisers  of  the  Navy  they  are  very  desirable  additions,  but  for  service 
in  the  Arctic,  which  is  exceptionally  severe  and  where  the  exigencies 
of  hard  usage  and  neglect  are  rather  the  rule,  I  must  say  the  Herres- 
hoff type  did  not  meet  my  expectation.  Simpler  design  of  engine 
and  boiler  seems  needed  in  that  region,  or  at  least  a  type  which  occa- 
sional neglect  would  injure  to  less  extent  than  the  Herreshoff.  In 
both  these  cutters  the  coils  burst;  the  spring  safety-valves  failed  to 
work  at  a  critical  moment  and  nearly  involved  the  loss  of  both  cut- 
ters; the  exterior  condenser  was  unsuited  and  vulnerable  when  hauled 
on  to  the  ice.  On  the  other  hand,  their  advantages  over  the  ordinary 
launch  used  in  the  service  were:  the  rapidity  with  which  steam  could 
be  got  up,  their  economy  in  the  use  of  coal  and  water,  and  their  speed. 

The  White  steam  cutter  of  the  Alert  was  an  exceedingly  handy 
boat.  She  was  neither  so  fast  nor  so  good  a  seaboat  as  the  Herreshoff 
cutter.  The  engine  is  simple  and  easily  kept  in  working  condition. 
The  boiler  being  of  old  type,  too  much  time  is  consumed  in  raising 
steam,  a  fatal  error  in  launches  for  Arctic  service.  This  cutter  com- 
pared with  Herreshoff' s  for  such  service  presents  defects  of  equal 


V. 

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GREELY   RELIEF   EXPEDITION.  69 

importance.  Her  construction  makes  repair  of  injuries  to  hull  very 
difficult. 

In  view  of  the  disaster  to  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition  at 
Cape  Sabine  and  the  conclusion  of  the  Department  last  year  that  it 
was  impracticable  to  send  another  vessel  north  after  the  Yantic's  re- 
turn to  St.  John's,  September  13,  1883,  with  report  of  the  loss  of  the 
Proteus,  I  would  state  that  the  past  winter  in  Melville  Bay  was  re- 
ported to  be  the  most  severe  experienced  for  thirty  years. 

The  winter  began  earlier  than  usual  and  continued  with  great  se- 
verity later  into  the  spring  of  1884.  About  the  equinox  (September 
21)  cold  weather  began  to  set  in  and  the  temperature  steadily  fell  at 
Disco,  Upernavik,  and  Tassuisak.  Sixty  degrees  below  zero  (Fah.) 
was  reached  later  in  the  winter,  when  it  was  said  to  have  continued 
for  a  period  of  sixty  consecutive  days.  Melville  Bay  was  frozen  over 
as  far  as  could  be  seen  from  these  three  points  in  the  latter  part  of 
October.  As  the  season  of  continual  darkness  had  come  on  by  October 
the  navigation  of  this  region  would  have  been  well  nigh  impossible, 
unless  the  bay  had  been  entirely  open.  Under  the  circumstances, 
any  vessel  attempting  this  navigation  wduld  have  come  to  grief,  if 
she  had  not  been  totally  lost. 

It  can  be  seen  in  view  of  this  information  that  the  action  of  last 
year  was  wise. 

The  total  expense  of  fitting  out  the  expedition  will  aggregate  about 
$750,000.  A  considerable  portion  of  this  sum  was  for  the  purchase 
of  the  ships,  which  are  returned  in  good  condition.  Their  value, 
together  with  that  of  the  returned  stores  and  outfits  in  all  depart- 
ments, when  disposed  of  either  by  sale  or  transfer  to  the  general 
service,  will  greatly  reduce  this  amount. 

HYDROGRAPHIC   INFORMATION. 

During  the  cruise  of  the  ships  on  the  coast  of  Greenland,  Lieuten- 
ants Sebree,  Crosby,  and  Badger,  who  were  the  executive  officers  of 
the  three  ships,  doing  duty  as  navigating  officers  in  addition  thereto, 
ascertained  that  the  English  Admiralty  charts  of  that  coast  were 
defective  in  a  number  of  particulars. 

Whenever  opportunity  offered  advantage  was  taken  by  these  zeal- 
ous and  untiring  officers  to  increase  the  accuracy  of  navigating  this 
region.  In  almost  every  instance  their  observations  were  similar, 
and  their  results  agreed  ;  for  example  The  Knight  Islands,  off  Hol- 
steinborg,  are  represented  as  extending  out  to  longitude  54°  30'  W. 
in  latitude  67°  N.  (chart  235,  Arctic  Sea,  Davis  Straits,  and  Baffin 
Bay).  Our  course  on  the  way  north  ran  over  the  outer  islands. 
These  islands  do  not  extend  off  land  over  7  miles,  instead  of  15  miles 
as  by  chart. 


70  GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

The  Rock  off  Rifkol  Island,  marked  on  this  same  chart  20  miles 
NW.  i  N.  (true)  from  Rifkol  Island,  could  not  he  seen  from  this 
ship  at  a  distance  of  less  than  1  mile.  The  whalers  say  it  exists,  but, 
if  true,  it  must  be  much  nearer  the  coast. 

Western  and  Whale-Fish  Islands,  in  Disco  Bay,  are  from  10'  to  15' 
of  longitude  west  of  the  true  position.  Our  course  up  run  west  of 
the  Western  Islands  5  miles  and  3  miles  west  of  the  Whale-Fish. 
When  up  with  the  Western  Islands  they  could  not  be  seen  on  a  per- 
fectly clear  day.  They  lie  much  closer  to  the  shore.  When  up  with 
the  Whale- Fish  Islands  we  found  ourselves  at  least  10  miles  west  of 
them.  The  weather  being  clear  and  the  ship  steering  for  Disco  Island, 
in  sight,  this  could  not  have  occurred  from  current  without  detect- 
ing it. 

Godhaven  or  Lievely  is  down  on  this  chart  from  10'  to  15'  of  lon- 
gitude west  of  its  position  as  given  in  Bowditch's  Navigator;  head- 
ing a  little  east  of  the  position  given  in  Bowditch  it  was  difficult, 
until  close  up,  to  distinguish  the  beacon.  It  is  better  to  approach  it 
from  the  westward,  as  the  beacon  shows  better  from  that  direction. 

Upernavik  Harbor  chart  gives  a  rock  75  yards  in  diameter ;  the 
rock  is  a  pinnacle  10  yards  in  diameter  and  bare  at  low  water.  Angles 
taken  on  the  rock:  W.  end  Olrick  Island  to  Church,  122°;  SW.  end 
Small  Island  close  to  village,  to  Church  20°  30';  Church  to  N.  point 
of  entrance  to  Danish  Harbor,  62°  10'.  There  are  from  G  to  9  fathoms 
of  water  around  this  rock. 

Approaches  to  Upernavik  are  extremely  dangerous.  Numerous 
rocks  and  islands  exist  that  are  not  down  on  the  charts.  The  Thetis 
touched  on  one  and  saw  a  number  of  others. 

If  clear,  make  Sanderson's  Hope,  head  in  for  it,  and  keep  a  good 
lookout  for  rocks,  are  about  the  only  directions  that  can  be  given. 

From  Upernavik  to  Horse  Head  there  are  numbers  of  rocks  not 
marked  on  the  charts,  and  many  islands  not  even  indicated.  The 
coast  line  is  out  of  true  position,  and  many  of  the  islands  are  inaccu- 
rately located.     The  longitude  of  Tassuisak  appears  correct. 

Duck  Islands,  from  a  number  of  observations  for  longitude  and 
latitude,  were  found  out  in  position.  The  largest  or  southern  island 
is  in  latitude  74°,  longitude  57°  4G'  W.,  instead  of  the  position  given 
on  the  chart. 

The  Devil's  Thumb,  a  most  important  landmark  in  crossing  Mel- 
ville Bay,  was'  established,  from  a  number  of  positions  well  deter- 
mined going  north  and  returning  south,  to  be  in  latitude  74°  38'  N. ,  or 
18  miles  north  of  the  charted  position.  The  whole  coast  line  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Devil's  Thumb  is  from  10  to  20  miles  too  far  south. 
All  the  islands  and  the  entire  coast  line  on  the  north  side  of  Melville 
Bay  are  out  in  latitude,  probably  15  or  18  miles. 

Hakluyt  Island  off  Northumberland  Island  is  about  5  miles  fur- 
ther north  than  marked  on  the  chart.     Herbert  Island  and  North- 


'.'.:.:  ■    V 


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4 


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GKEELY    KKLIKF    KX  I'KDITIOX. 


71 


umberland  Island  are  not  relatively  put  down  right,  but  we  were  not 
delayed  long  enough  in  their  vicinity  to  accurately  establish  them. 
The  following  soundings  were  taken  by  Lieutenant  Sebree,  execu- 
tive officer  of  the  Thetis  during  her  cruise  in  the  Arctic.  The  instru- 
ment used  was  a  machine  of  Sir  William  Thomson's,  and,  except 
when  the  ship  was  beset  in  the  ice,  the  tubes  were  always  used.  This 
machine  is  of  the  greatest  value  to  navigators,  and  when  in  water  of 
100  fathoms  or  under  is  the  most  reliable  instrument  of  the  many 
used.  The  advantage  of  sounding  while  under  full  headway  at  sea 
needs  no  discussion  by  sailors.  The  machine  on  board  the  Thetis 
was  poorly  made  and  somewhat  clumsy,  but  its  principle  was  perfect. 
It  could  be  improved  in  several  particulars  which  would  materially 
increase  its  efficiency. 


Date. 


1884. 

May  20.. 
21.. 
21.. 
21.. 
21.. 

21.. 
27.. 

June  12.. 
13.. 

15.. 
18.. 

20.. 

20.. 
20.. 

26.. 

July     1.. 
9.. 


Soundings. 


Fathoms. 
80 
30 
36 

27 
18} 

54~~ 
50 


212 

230 
55 

58 

80 

29 
21 
M 
12 
12 

148 
16* 


Character  of  bottom. 


Crs.  Gr.  S.  Sh. 

Br.  Sh 

...do 

Gr 

Br.  Sh.  Gr . . . . 


FineS. 


S.  andSh.... 
No  specimen. 


Gr.  S  . 


Latitude 
north. 

Longitude 
west. 

o            / 

o             / 

64      15 

53      46 

66      50 

54      17 

67      06 

54      22 

67      21 

54      29 

67      48 

54      30 

68      12 

54      30 

70      23 

55      04 

74      07 

58      22 

74      09 

58      24 

75      00 

59      50 

75      52 

67      32 

76      47 

70      35 

Remarks. 


No  bottom. 

One-fifth  mile   west   Hare 
Island. 

Vessel  tied  up  to  ice. 
Do. 


Large    berg   aground    100 
yards  east  of  sounding. 


Sounding  between  Hakluyt  and  Northumberland  Island,  about  one-third 
distant  from  Northumberland  to  Hakluyt. 


Blk.  Gr . 


77      33 


72      25 


Numerous   large   bergs 
aground. 

These  soundings  were  taken  between  Dalrymple  and  Wolstenholm  Islands; 
the  first  sounding  i  mile  S.  by  W.  }  W.  from  S.  end  of  Dalrymple  Island, 
and  the  last  sounding  about  2  miles  ESE.  from  the  S.  end  of  Dalrymple. 
Bearings  were  taken,  but  as  the  chart  was  found  to  be  incorrect  they 
were  not  of  much  use. 


No  specimen  . 
S.  and  Sh 


74     09 
67     37 


57      28 
54      35 


On  Torsk  Bank. 


It  is  my  agreeable  duty  to  commend  to  your  attention  the  services 
of  Commander  George  W.  Coffin,  commanding  the  Alert;  the  perilous 
and  arduous  duties  imposed  upon  him,  to  conduct  in  safety  his  own 
vessel  and  the  collier,  Loch  Garry,  through  Melville  Bay,  were  ex- 


72  GREELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

ecuted  with  judgment  and  skill.  Starting  later  than  the  other  two 
vessels  of  the  expedition,  and  having  much  less  steam  power,  the 
Alert  did  not  reach  so  high  a  latitude  as  the  Thetis  and  Bear.  She 
penetrated  the  ice  region  to  an  extent  that  surprised  me,  notwith- 
standing the  detention  occasioned  in  awaiting  favorable  opportuni- 
ties to  advance  with  safety  to  the  Loch  Garry. 

Commander  Coffin  pushed  the  Alert  into  an  advanced  position  in 
Melville  Bay,  until  his  progress  was  arrested  by  ice  too  heavy  for 
him  to  break  or  drive  asunder.  I  feel  that  he  accomplished  success- 
fully and  skillfully  all  that  was  practicable  and  possible  under  the 
circumstances. 

The  greatest  confidence  was  felt  that  he  would  carry  out  Lis  in- 
structions to  the  letter  in  the  event  that  it  would  be  necessary  for 
me  to  remain  in  the  Arctic  beyond  the  present  year ;  I  therefore 
pushed  on  with  no  uncertainty  about  what  he  would  do. 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Emory,  jr.,  commanding  the  Bear,  was  under  my 
immediate  observation  during  most  of  the  cruise.  It  affords  me  the 
greatest  pleasure  to  testify  to  the  promptness,  energy,  and  skillf ill- 
ness of  this  meritorious  officer ;  his  coolness  and  good  judgment  were 
valuable  to  me.  On  no  occasion  was  it  necessary  to  either  prompt 
or  order  him  to  discharge  duties.  He  was  always  on  the  watch  with 
the  keenest  appreciation  of  the  situation  in  anticipating  all  my 
wishes.     Signals  were  never  necessary  between  the  two  ships. 

His  earnest  example  of  loyalty  to  the  service  we  were  sent  to  per- 
form was  caught  up  by  his  officers  and  crew,  so  that  the  two  ships 
were  always  worked  with  the  utmost  accord  and  harmony;  he  en- 
joyed and  deserved  my  entire  confidence. 

I  would  commend  him  especially  to  the  Department  as  an  officer 
of  high  professional  merit  and  competency,  and  would  frankly  state 
that  much  of  the  success  of  the  expedition  was  due  to  him  and  to 
his  ably  officered  ship. 

Lieut.  Uriel  Sebree,  of  the  Thetis,  F.  H.  Crosby  of  the  Bear,  and 
C.  J.  Badger,  of  the  Alert,  were  the  executive  and  navigating  offi- 
cers of  their  respective  vessels.  Lieutenant  Sebree  being  on  board 
the  Thetis,  and  Lieutenant  Crosby  on  the  Bear,  came  under  my 
immediate  observation,  and  of  them,  I  am  able  to  bear  personal  tes- 
timony. I  need  say  no  more  in  their  favor  than  to  inform  the 
Department  that  two  more  capable,  efficient  and  energetic  officers 
could  not  have  been  selected  for  the  positions  they  filled;  they  were 
always  ready,  always  prompt,  always  zealous,  and  always  cheerful; 
both  enjoyed  the  complete  confidence  of  their  commanding  officers 
in  discharging  their  duties;  they  were  in  no  senseless  skillful  or  less 
competent  than  their  commanding  officers,  so  that  if  accident  had 
incapacitated  the  leaders  the  ships  would  have  been  left  in  able  hands. 

Their  services  were  invaluable  to  the  expedition,  and  I  hold  them 
in  the  highest  estimation  professionally  and  personally. 


> 
o 
f 

X 

O 

> 

SO 
JO 

< 

> 


GREELY   RELIEF  EXPEDITION.  73 

Commander  Coffin  speaks  in  terms  of  high  approbation  of  Lient. 
C.  J.  Badger,  and  of  his  competency  and  capacity  as  an  officer;  he 
praises  his  method  and  manner  of  performing  his  responsible  duties 
and  refers  to  his  coolness  and  judgment  under  all  circumstances. 

I  am  glad  to  indorse  all  that  Commander  Coffin  says  of  this  highly 
competent  and  efficient  young  officer,  and  to  include  him  with  Sebree 
and  Crosby  in  special  commendation  to  the  consideration  of  the 
Department. 

Lieuts.  E.  H.  Taunt  and  S.  C.  Lemly,  and  Ensign  C.  H.  Harl 
of  the  Thetis;  Lieuts.  J.  C.  Colwell,  N.  R.  Usher,  and  Ensign  L. 
Reynolds,  of  the  Bear,  and  Lieut.  H.  J.  Hunt  and  Ensigns  H 
McClain,  and  A.  A.  Ackerman,  of  the  Alert,  were  the  watch  o 
cers  of  the  respective  ships.  I  mention  them  collectively,  as  the 
partment  could  not  have  selected  more  competent  men  for  their  duties. 

Their  aptitude,  experience,  and  physique  made  them  invaluable  for 
the  exposed  duties  of  shipboard  life  in  the  Arctic  regions,  or  for 
detached  work  there. 

Their  assistance  to  their  several  commanding  officers  was  most 
valuable,  while  their  good  judgment  inspired  the  greatest  confidence. 

In  no  instance  in  any  of  the  ships  did  they  make  a  mistake;  the 
constant  and  rapid  advance  was  largely  due  to  their  watchful  atten- 
tion and  judgment  of  ice  movements. 

I  hold  them  to  be  tried  and  valuable  officers,  and  in  this  view  com- 
mend them  to  the  Department. 

Ensign  W.  I.  Chambers  was  detailed  to  represent  the  Government 
interests  on  board  the  Loch  Garry.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  he  was 
always  most  interested  and  efficient;  his  judgment  and  ability  were 
most  conspicuous,  and  to  him  and  to  his  advice  the  safety  of  the  Loch 
Garry  was  mainly  due.  He  enjoyed  my  highest  confidence  for  his 
officer-like  management  of  delicate  duties. 

Lieut.  J.  C.  Colwell  was  on  detached  duty  at  Cape  York;  his  pre- 
vious experience  in  this  region  gave  him  the  preference  when  it  was 
necessary  to  communicate  with  the  natives;  his  promptness  in  reach- 
ing them  at  Cape  York  did  him  much  credit  and  fully  justified  his 
selection  for  the  duty.  He  was  returned  to  the  Bear  at  Littleton 
Island  June  22. 

Chief  Engineers  George  W.  Melville,  of  the  Thetis,  John  Lowe,  of 
the  Bear,  and  Passed  Assistant  Engineer  W.  H,  Nauman,  of  the 
Alert,  were  without  exception  most  efficient  and  capable.  Six  men 
only  composed  the  engineer's  force  of  each  of  the  ships,  so  that  when 
others  found  opportunity  to  rest  these  officers  were  obliged  to  be  on 
hand  that  the  engines  might  be  ready  at  a  moment's  notice,  and  this 
continued  from  the  moment  of  entering  the  ice  until  it  was  left. 

The  engines  were  always  worked  from  full  speed  ahead  to  full 
speed  astern  in  ramming,  and  in  most  cases  under  the  direct  control 


74  GKEELY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 

of  the  chief  engineers.  In  all  the  harassing  demands  upon  the  en- 
gine and  the  engineer's  force  of  the  ships  no  mistakes  were  made. 

For  the  perfection  in  their  motive  power,  upon  which  so  much  of 
the  success  of  these  Arctic  ships  depended,  I  am  indebted  to  the 
great  skill  and  untiring  exertions  of  their  engineer  officers;  they  were 
always  vigilant,  always  ready  for  any  emergency,  and  always  unceas- 
ing in  their  efforts  to  maintain  the  motive  power  in  the  highest  con- 
dition of  efficiency.  Chief  Engineer  Lowe  slung  his  cot  in  the  engine 
room  while  in  the  ice  in  order  to  be  near  his  work  in  an  emergency. 
Chief  Engineer  Melville's  bunk  was  so  chosen  by  him  to  be  as  near 
the  engine  room  as  possible  without  being  actually  in  it.  The  great 
experience  of  the  latter  officer  in  Arctic  matters  had  determined  me 
to  choose  him  for  a  sledge  journey  onward  to  Lady  Franklin  Bay  if 
such  had  been  necessary.  During  the  cruise  northward  I  availed 
myself  of  his  experience  in  many  matters  of  detail,  in  fitting  sleds, 
clothing,  and  provisions  for  journeys;  he  is  too  well  known  to  you 
to  need  other  commendation  from  me  than  for  his  entire  and  hearty 
support  in  carrying  out  the  purposes  of  the  expedition. 

Passed  Assistant  Surgeon  E.  H.  Green,  of  the  Thetis,  Passed  As- 
sistant Surgeon  H.  E.  Ames,  of  the  Bear,  and  Passed  Assistant  Sur- 
geon F.  S.  Nash,  of  the  Alert,  rendered  me  the  most  valuable  assist- 
ance in  their  constant  care  of  the  sanitary  conditions  of  the  ships; 
their  watchful  attention  of  the  officers  and  men  to  guard  them  against 
sickness,  or  to  relieve  them  when  injured,  were  praiseworthy.  Our 
only  accidents  occurred  at  the  wheel;  they  were  caused  by  large 
pieces  of  ice  rising  under  the  stern  and  striking  the  rudder  after  the 
vessels  had  forced  their  way  over  them  in  ramming  through  the  floes. 

Drs.  Green  and  Ames  had  entire  charge  of  the  survivors  from  the 
time  when  discovered  until  our  return  home.  They  were  unremitting 
in  their  care  and  attention  to  them.  That  any  of  the  rescued  are 
now  alive,  after  their  unusual  exposure  and  critical  condition  when 
found,  is  due  to  their  skill. 

Not  only  were  they  conspicuous  in  their  professional  duties  but  in 
all  matters  connected  with  the  expedition;  on  board  ship  or  on  the 
ice,  they  were  always  assisting. 

Ice  Masters  Francis  Ash,  J.  W.  Norman,  and  David  L.  Gifford 
gave  me  much  assistance  in  discharging  their  duties;  the  two  former 
came  more  immediately  under  my  observation. 

Mr.  Ash  is  a  man  of  high  character  and  merit.  He  is  a  thorough 
sailor,  a  man  of  worth,  and  an  officer  whose  experience  and  judg- 
ment were  of  much  value  to  the  expedition. 

I  regret  that  differences  involving  the  discipline  of  the  ships  re- 
quired the  discharge  of  Mr.  Gifford  and  Mr.  Norman  immediately 
after  the  return  of  the  expedition  to  the  United  States;  this  in  no  way 
affected  the  value  of  their  services  in  the  ice  region  or  the  heartiness 
with  which  they  assisted  their  commanding  officers  while  there. 


o 

>■ 
2 
s 

a 
o 

> 


f 

i 

o 

2 


5 
o 


GREELY   BELIEF   EXPEDITION. 


75 


The  selection  of  the  crews  of  the  three  vessels  was  faultless;  I  can 
pay  the  men  who  composed  them  no  higher  tribute  than  by  bearing 
testimony  to  their  constant  cheerfulness,  their  instant  obedience  of 
orders,  their  incessant  vigilance,  and  their  fearlessness  under  all  cir- 
c u instances  of  danger.  There  were  no  punishments  on  board  the 
ships  until  our  return  to  civilization,  and  the  few  cases  then  were 
caused  entirely  by  rum. 

If  not  a  breach  of  official  etiquette  I  would  state  that  our  success 
in  the  work  which  we  had  the  honor  to  accomplish  was  made  pos- 
sible, first,  by  the  munificent  appropriation  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States;  second,  by  the  unceasing  energy  of  yourself  and  the 
Secretary  of  War;  your  masterly  comprehension  of  the  problem  to 
be  solved  by  the  expedition;  your  indefatigable  activity  in  fitting  it 
for  its  work,  and  your  unflagging  interest  in  preparing  everything 
which  concerned  its  success.  This  spirit  was  caught  up  by  the  offi- 
cers and  men  you  honored  and  was  the  mainspring  of  their  action 
when  absent.  Much  of  the  success  of  the  expedition  is  due  to  you, 
and  when  I  say  this  I  only  convey  to  you  the  sentiment  of  all  who 
served  with  me  in  the  difficult,  dangerous,  and  honorable  duty  which 
you  intrusted  to  our  charge. 

I  inclose  herewith  a  series  of  photographs  to  illustrate  the  condi- 
tions of  ice  at  various  points  of  the  passage  in  Melville  Bay.  These 
photographs  are  numbered,  and  represent  the  conditions  of  ice  as 
met  by  the  expeditionary  ships;  they  will  explain  much  better  than 
a  volume  of  words  some  of  the  difficulties  which  were  encountered 
and  some  of  the  reasons  why  delay  was  necessary  at  times;  further 
reference  to  them  in  the  body  of  this  i*eport  is  therefore  unnecessary. 

The  track  chart  accompanying  contains  the  route  pursued  by  the 
ships  on  the  outward  and  homeward  journey;  the  data  on  its  margin 
explains  itself. 

In  conclusion,  I  beg  to  thank  you  for  your  earnest,  prompt,  and 
cordial  support  in  preparing  the  expeditionary  force  for  its  work, 
and,  above  all,  for  the  lasting  honor  conferred  upon  me  and  upon  the 
officers  and  men  composing  it  in  connecting  our  names  and  our  efforts 
with  yours  in  a  relief  which  had  filled  the  nation,  and  indeed  the 
civilized  world,  with  the  gravest  solicitude  for  a  year  past. 

I  congratulate  you  on  the  achievement  of  this  expedition,  fitted 
under  your  personal  observation  and  care. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  SCHLEY, 
Commander,  U.  S.  Navy, 
Commanding  Greely  Belief  Expedition  of  1884. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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